Month: May 2023

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Appleton Estate Legend 17 Details

Appleton unveiled details of their forthcoming Appleton Estate 17 Year Old Legend Jamaica Rum release this week. The rum was developed by Appleton’s master blender Joy Spence using four rare distillates to replicate the formula for Wray & Nephew 17, the original rum that Trader Vic used in the Mai Tai. Issued at 49% ABV and aged in ex-Bourbon oak barrels, Legend replicates the original by being 100% pot still distillate.

Spence was quoted in a Forbes article about the release, saying “When I made the Mai Tai with this rum. I tell you, I was in heaven. I sat in my garden and I said this is most amazing Mai Tai ever.”

Appleton Estate

Due to the rarity of the distillate, only 1500 bottles will be available globally, never to be produced again. Legend will be available at select “premium retailers” starting in June 2023, in the United States, Jamaica, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria, Denmark, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, New Zealand, Japan, and Hong Kong. List price is $500 per bottle.

Their hyped May 17 announcement date coincided with the selling of a few bottles via Blockchain broker BlockBar, where the early adopters are guaranteed an NFT and a bottle. Or, they are now in a position to flip the rum to the highest bidder, with some bottles now well over $1000.

The Mad Scramble Starts in June

You’d think that with a $500 list price that maybe it would keep away some buyers. Heck, even Appleton’s $300-$400 Hearts releases are still found out there here or there. But given the hype it seems that Legend will be very difficult to obtain. We know a few famous venues and collectors who won’t be getting Legend even after they asked.

Personally, I’ll be traveling in the British Isles for the last two weeks in June. So, there’s nary a chance I’ll be able to jump on my favorite retailer’s customer email and snap this release up like I did with the Appleton Hearts release. The whole NFT thing left a bad taste in my mouth.

Maybe someone will take pity and offer me a tot or two.

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Applebee’s $6 Mucho Mai Tai

We’re going to take a trip you might not be expecting, so buckle in.

Not nearly as infamous as the $1 Mai Tai that Applebee’s ran as a special in 2019, the $6 Mucho Mai Tai nonetheless can be a compelling offering for suburban drinkers. So, Mrs. Mai Tai and found ourselves sampling cocktails and eating pretzel bites on a Wednesday evening.

The Mucho Mai Tai is part of a new “$6 Sips on the Beach” menu that Applebee’s says are “made with premium spirits and served in a signature Mucho glass.” In this case the “premium spirts” are Captain Morgan Spiced Rum and Tito’s Vodka. So, not really premium.

The Mucho Mai Tai cocktail features Captain Morgan Rum with pineapple, orange, and lime juices and finished with lemon-lime soda and a gummy pineapple. This was about as mediocre as you might expect from this particular Mai Tai snob, even at the $6 price point. I think the gummy sank to the bottom and I never did bother fishing it out. But at least I felt the booze.

Mucho Mai Tai

There’s a happy ending to this story, thanks to Mrs. Mai Tai who ordered a Shark Bowl.

The Shark Bowl is a blue slushy drink with Captain Morgan, “tropical fruit flavors”, and a gummy shark garnish. I didn’t have high hopes for this, but I’m pleased to report it was actually pretty good for what it is. Not too sweet, and cool, pleasant, and refreshing. We even took one to go for our son and it traveled well.

Thus ends our report from the suburbs.

Shark Bowl
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Tropical Standard: Cocktail Techniques & Reinvented Recipes

2023’s most interesting cocktail book comes from Garret Richard (Sunken Harbor Club) and Ben Schaffer (The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual). “Tropical drinks” are sometimes looked down upon by cocktail snobs and even tiki purists as being “lesser”, but the book describes how these juice-heavy cocktails can be elevated using modern techniques.

While each cocktail gets a photo, this is not a coffee table book full of pretty pictures. Instead, this will appeal to those looking to understand the methods of making great cocktails and also to learn how longstanding recipes can be improved. There are reimagined recipes for the Blue Hawaii, Ray’s Mistake, and many others.

The Mai Tai from Tropical Standard

Richard’s acclaimed Mai Tai recipe is included, without any need for significant reimagining. The authors state “It does not suffer from any defect in its conception”, yet acknowledges that today’s Mai Tai can’t exactly replicate one from 1944. The recipe is fairly complex, using two orange liqueurs, three rums, and a few drops of Salt Solution to heighten the flavors. The spent lime shell goes inside the cocktail, not on top. Check the book for the recipe but suffice to say that the Mai Tai is quite fantastic.

“New versions of this pivotal cocktail are constantly advanced and debated by bartenders world-wide. It is nigh on impossible to improve on a drink as iconic as the Mai Tai, but with its collection of small adjustments, rediscovered techniques, and precise flavor pairings, the Mai Tai you are about to make will banish all others from your heart.”

Other preparation techniques include ice and dilution, acid adjusting citrus, and even sugar adjusting. These are presented in an open way, not in one that talks down to the reader – which this lazy home bartender appreciates. There are many opportunities to reconsider long-held personal tendencies and to consider new approaches.

Tropical Standard is available today at fine booksellers everywhere.

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Lahaina Sunset by Mark Riddle

A visit to Maui inspired Mark Riddle to record an exotica album with tracks inspired by his trip. Vibraphonist Riddle is also known by DigiTiki, host of the long-running Quiet Village podcast, and also by Marty Lush (ex-Tikiyaki Orchestra). Drawing inspiration from Arthur Lyman’s style and his Hawaiian Sunset Vol. 2 album, Riddle’s collection of songs will appeal to those looking for mellow melodies with lavish arrangements.

The title track blends vibraphones and ukulele and delivers a strong opening song complete with the sounds of lapping waves and birds. The mid-tempo “Road to Hana” opens with dreamy sounds that provides the listener with the feeling of entering a portal, and continues on a journey with a hypnotic driving rhythm. Several songs pay homage to Lahaina’s Japanese cultural roots by using familiar music themes and bamboo instrumentation. Of these tracks, “Evening at Hong Kong Gardens” is the most interesting, featuring intricate piano and Japanese stringed instrumentation.

“Lahaina Hula” was written as a Hula song, but the tempo is slowed down so dramatically you may not understand why it seems so familiar. The cheekily named “Tune for Crab Rangoon” is the the most traditional exotica track, with interplay between piano and vibraphone that any Martin Denny fan will love. The lone cover song is “Path of the Wind” and closes side two of the album with aplomb, though two stand-out bonus tracks are available on the digital release.

I’ve never felt that most of Arthur Lyman’s recordings were mixed properly, but there are no such flaws on Riddle’s. None of the delicate instruments are lost in the mix, nor is there too much to get in the way of the vibraphone or piano that leads the melody. Ambient sounds support the music and themes well.

Lahaina Sunset is available in several formats. Many will be drawn to the audiophile virgin vinyl LP, but a deeper drive is available via the Flash Drive version that comes with bonus tracks, music videos, behind the scenes making of videos, and a version of the album without ambient audio sounds. A faux postcard features the photo from the album on the front and a note from “Marty” on the back. There’s also an option to purchase the LP and the Flash Drive at the same time.

Lahaina Sunset is available at digitiki.com.

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Infinite Coastline at Forbidden Island – Blue Hawaii Riff

The Blue Hawaii cocktail is usually not my jam, especially when it has a ton of pineapple juice and only uses vodka.

But I thoroughly enjoyed this Infinite Coastline at Forbidden Island the other day. The Blue Curaçao liqueur was forward in the cocktail and the light rum was a very nice accent. Best Blue Hawaii I’ve had in… maybe ever.

You can also order this with Rum Fire Overproof Jamaica Rum, which is 63% ABV and totally delicious. That version is $2 more and I’m sure is the quintessential version. I would have done this except I’d already had another cocktail and was driving.

Be sure to check out the Infinite Coastline the next time you’re at Forbidden Island.

Best Blue Hawaii I’ve had in… maybe ever.

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The Forbidden Island Cocktail

Had a great time on the patio at Forbidden Island the other day, including a revisit to one of FI’s signature cocktails: The Forbidden Island.

I’ve enjoyed this cocktail in the past and it seemed like a great time to make sure they’re still making it great. The cocktail features Lime, Pineapple, Rums, and “a secret blend of spices.” This spicy grog is still a wonderful option and there are few things as nice as a cold and frosty cocktail on the patio with exotic music playing.

You can also order the Forbidden Island with with FI’s signature Kapu Tiki mug that comes in an ever-changing set of colors; the current glaze is a bright yellow and matches the neon swizzle stick.

 

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Trader Vic’s To-Go Cocktails: Sunset Swimmer and Sea Dreams

I took two cocktails home with me from my visit at Trader Vic’s Emeryville, both of which were new to me. I chose these from the Coconut Concoctions section of the menu, hoping one of them would be a hit for Mrs. Mai Tai and where we’ve had great experiences with to-go Bahias and Chi-Chis. Both were prepared without ice and refrigerated for the afternoon before being lightly shaken and served over ice.

Sunset Swimmer – with Tequila, spiced coconut, and pineapple. Definitely something more than just a Pina Colada with Tequila, there are some very specific spices and flavors that can be hit or miss. I really liked it, but Mrs. Mai Tai thought it tasted weird. I felt that the combo of pineapple and spices worked very well.

Sea Dreams – Strawberry forward, with coconut, passionfruit, and “two types of rum”, both of us felt this seemed flat with very little coconut flavor. It felt like maybe there was an ingredient missing.