Cocktails

Virginia Dare

Virginia Dare is a cocktail made with Ripe Pear, Dark Rum, Benedictine, and Angostura Bitters. The listed recipe is muddled and served in a Cocktail Glass.

Reviewed by the WhatDrink Editorial TeamHow we calculate nutritionSuggest a correction

Cocktailalcoholic27.6% ABV4 ingredients

At a Glance

352 kcalCalories

27.6%ABV

20.7gSugar

29.6gCarbs

2.79Std Drinks

Estimated from parsed ingredients and typical ingredient nutrition.

On this page

How hard is it to make?

Moderatemuddled drink

Why: 4 ingredients, muddled drink, requires shaker, muddler

Estimated from the ingredient count and technique.

Ingredients & Tools

2.0 ozRipe pearOther
2.0 ozDark rumBase Spirit
2.0 ozBenedictineLiqueur Modifier
2 dashesAngostura BittersBitters

Tools:Mixing Glass

How to Make It

Muddle 1 pear slice in mixing glass.Muddled
Add remaining ingredients.Add
Shake with ice and strain through a fine wire sieve into chilled cocktail glass.Shaken
Garnish with remaining pear slice.Garnish

How to Serve

Glass: Cocktail Glass
Temperature: Chilled
Ice: Ice
Method: Shaken

Served Chilled

Serving tips

Serve Virginia Dare cold and taste the bitterness before adjusting sweetness. A citrus peel or clean garnish can lift the aroma without making it sweeter. It is commonly matched with bbq, steak, grilled meat style pairings.

Taste

What does Virginia Dare taste like?

Virginia Dare has a drier, more aromatic profile. Bitter, herbal or botanical notes give it structure and make it feel less sugary.

Primary flavours

Spice Bitter Botanical

Supporting notes

Caramel Herbal Honey Molasses Vanilla

Flavor tags are derived from ingredient-level flavor mappings.

Estimated sensory profile

StrengthLight – Strong

BodyLight – Full

SweetnessDry – Sweet

BoldnessDelicate – Bold

High ABV
Noticeably sweet
Bold and complex

What do these dimensions mean?

Practical notes

When to choose it

How to decide if Virginia Dare is right for you

Virginia Dare suits drinkers who like drier, more aromatic cocktails. Choose it when you want structure, bitterness or herbal lift instead of a sweet fruit profile. The listed serve is about 27.6% ABV, so strength is part of the decision.

Skip if

Skip Virginia Dare if...

Skip Virginia Dare if you prefer soft, sweet or fruit-led drinks. Bitter and herbal cocktails can feel dry or intense if you are expecting easy sweetness.

When to serve

BBQ / CookoutSuggested from pairing with bbq and grilled meat.
AperitifSuggested from its bitter and botanical notes.
Winter / CozySuggested from its spice notes.

Occasion tags are inferred from drink style, serving format, flavour profile, food-pairing theme, recipe metadata, and strict multi-signal supplemental rule matches.

Food pairings

BBQ Steak Grilled Meat

Food pairings are derived from the drink flavour signature, mapped to one dominant pairing theme, then limited to coherent public suggestions.

Diet & lifestyle

Compatible, based on the listed ingredients

May be limited

Vegan

Not compatible

KetoLow-CarbLow-Sugar

Not enough information

Gluten-FreeVegetarian

Find vegan-compatible cocktails

Diet tags are ingredient-level and nutrition-estimate based. Product brands, preparation methods, quantities, and substitutions may change compatibility.

Alternatives to try

Choose an ingredient to see reviewed substitutions, or filter for a different preference.

Reviewed ingredient substitutions

Dark Rum2.0 oz

Aged RumWorks, with a noticeable change

How much to use: Use the same amount; taste before changing sweetener.
What changes: Aged rum can replace dark rum when a somewhat drier, oak-led profile is acceptable.

Light RumWorks, but changes the drink

How much to use: Use the same amount; expect less depth and dark sugar character.
What changes: Light rum can replace dark rum only when a lighter, cleaner result is acceptable.

Angostura Bitters2 dashes

Aromatic BittersWorks, with a noticeable change

How much to use: Start with the recipe’s dash count and taste before adding more.
What changes: Another aromatic bitters can replace Angostura when some change in spice and fruit character is acceptable.

Orange BittersNot a neutral swap

How much to use: Start with the recipe’s dash count and taste; the result will lose some baking-spice character.
What changes: Orange bitters can replace Angostura only when a brighter, more citrus-led result is acceptable.

Reviewed component substitutions are not guarantees that the replacement was tested in this exact recipe. Follow the reviewed adjustment note and taste before serving.

Preference filters use current ingredient, nutrition and diet evidence. They are not medical advice, and this database contract does not store user selections.

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Last updated June 18, 2026

Ingredients, measures and method are taken from the source recipe; roles and serving details are mapped from reviewed evidence.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I make a Virginia Dare at home?: Yes. The Virginia Dare uses 4 ingredients, making it straightforward to prepare at home. You will need a Cocktail Glass. Use quality spirits and fresh ingredients for the best result.