We had a nice afternoon of rum exploration in Alameda a couple weeks ago at Forbidden Island, an event produced by the Rum Curious Club and sponsored by Flor de Caña rum. I’d attended a couple previous Rum Curious events locally that had different formats, but this one seems to be the right scope.
This Happy Hour event had free registration and was held in the afternoon on Forbidden Island’s tented patio that’s still a great place to gather. Rum Champion Bryan Inman led the event and the discussion of Flor de Caña rum, including samples of five expressions including their 25 year old rum. Brand ambassador Melissa Borras also discussed Flor de Caña’s production methods and rum line, with Dan Marshall from Alameda’s CRAFT Beer & Wine in attendance for people to order rums for pickup at discount.
Whereas some of the previous Rum Curious Happy Hour events were paid, this one was free for rum tastings and the option to purchase $10 Flor de Caña cocktails from a special menu. This seems like a great balance and doesn’t require everyone to pay up front especially if they’re not drinking (or not drinking much). And it really helps when those cocktails taste great as they did on this day – shout out to the Forbidden Island team for preparing these delightful drinks.
This was a well-run event, and I think this is the best format for these Rum Curious Club Happy Hour events. You get to try some rum without an upfront cost, there are modestly priced cocktails for those who choose them, and an option to purchase the rum if you like it. This is one of those cases where everyone wins.
