Author: Kevin Crossman

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Worthy Park Blind Taste Test

I posted this to my Instagram stories and it seems to have drawn some interest.

When I posted about Worthy Park 109 a couple days ago, I mentioned that this new black rum from Jamaica tasted more like a Demerara rum from Guyana than the funky rums that Worthy Park is most famous for. Those Worthy Park rums are most notably expressed with Rum-Bar Overproof, but also many of the Hamilton rums that use Worthy Park distillate as their base. And then some people said that 109 didn’t taste anything like a Demerara and I was only looking at the color. Well, I’ll never turn down a challenge.

Hence the blind taste test with some Jamaican, Demerara, and blended rums. I compared the WP109 to Hamilton 86 from Guyana, Blackwell Black Gold from Jamaica, and the new Hamilton Zombie Blend that is a blend of rums from Jamaica and Guyana.

Tasting Notes

To me, the 109 tasted most similar to Hamilton 86. I know that caramel coloring is present in both and in theory does not impart taste, but to me these were very close. The 109 being 100% pot still and higher ABV did have a better mouthfeel and a richer taste.

The Blackwell was a poor choice for this comparison, since it was so clearly not really in the same league as the others. Beside the lower ABV (40%) there definitely was a sugary taste that made it stand out. The color isn’t that black either. I should have maybe tried Coruba instead. I find the Hamilton Pot Still Black to be quite funky (using Worthy Park distillate) so that wouldn’t really have been a good comparison either. In other words, Worthy Park 109 isn’t just a higher proof “black Jamaican” but something a bit different.

As for the true Demerara/Jamaican hybrid, I found the funky notes in the Hamilton Zombie Blend to be quite forward. While delicious and wonderful (and easily sippable at 59% ABV) it too didn’t really taste like the Worthy Park 109.

As I mentioned in my post the other day, I found the rich and heavy and boozy characteristics of the Worthy Park 109 to be delightful in a Mai Tai where I’m looking for rich and heavy and boozy. This one is a keeper.

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Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve

A reacquisition for a product I bought a couple years ago and went empty very quickly. This is a wonderful aged Jamaican Rum expression from Worthy Park.

Bottled with a blend of rums aged 6-10 years in the tropics, this is 100% pot still rum and so flavorful, even at 45% ABV. If Appleton is too mellow and Hampden is too funky, then Worthy Park is, well you know – just right. Very approachable and yet still a great way to introduce newbies to how great Jamaican rums can be. The flavor lingers long after you finish drinking it, but doesn’t completely blow out your tongue.

This is Worthy Park’s mainstream aged expression. It comes in a fancy bottle and while cask-strength aficionados might balk at the price considering the ABV, I’d compare this something like Mount Gay XO. Maybe not the best “pound for pound” but something that perfectly captures what I’m looking for with a sipping rum and worth the slight premium for a trusted brand. Sometimes you don’t want cask strength but you still want it to be great.

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Proof Cocktail Co. Mai Tai

Ready to Drink (RTD) cocktails are still a growth industry, and I’m always on the hunt for an acceptable Mai Tai in a can or bottled format.

Whilst perusing Bitters & Bottles for spirits, I reviewed their growing RTD section and came across the Mai Tai from Proof Cocktail Co. The four-pack of 250ml cans (two servings per can) was $27. ABV is 23%, so this is plenty boozy –especially if you drink the entire can as a single serving by mistake, like I did.

Proof is most definitely not playing in the low-end of the market, and a good comparison product is the On the Rocks line of cocktails (which retail for around $12 for a 375ml bottle). The ingredient list is White Rum, Barrel Aged Rum, Curacao, Almond Orgeat, Fresh Lime and Orange Juice, and Pomegranate Grenadine.

Thankfully, the OJ and grenadine flavors are not particularly noticeable and instead there’s a pretty good rum taste along with lime and almond. This is a flavorful, easy to drink cocktail, though I personally would have preferred a higher degree of aged rum. I for sure have had worse Mai Tais made from scratch at even good cocktail bars, but nobody is going to confuse this with an elite Mai Tai made by a master bartender or at a high quality craft cocktail or tiki bar. This is even better than On the Rocks which had been my go-to at the high end of the market.

Overall. the Proof Cocktail Mai Tai is pretty damn tasty and also plenty boozy. Which means it could work real well for vacation, camping, and patio/poolside cocktail scenarios.

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Worthy Park 109 Jamaica Rum

This new expression from Worthy Park is amazingly delicious. The blend of aged and unaged pot still rum from Jamaica, plus caramel coloring, is simply amazing. Bottled at 54.5% ABV (109 proof), it is easy to drink neat and truly shines in cocktails. This very affordable rum works great in the Mai Tai, and it is boozy just like I like it.

This tastes a little more like a Demerara rum than a Jamaican, but does carry characteristics of both. Definitely not “funky” like some of other Worthy Park / Rum-Bar expressions. While I would not say that my tasting talent is overly refined, I did find this to be similar to some circa 1950s Myers’s Planters Punch rum that I tried recently.

Worthy Park 109 is starting to be available in the states and in other territories. Ask for it at your finer liquor outlets.

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Forbidden Island Parking Lot Sale

Great time today for the return of the Forbidden Island Parking Lot Sale after a one year absence. Very efficient entry for both those with indoor or outdoor reservations, plus people like us just there for the sale. Some good vendors this year and we bought a vintage print from Tiki Tommy.

The $10 entry is good for a drink from the outdoor tiki bar. The batched cocktail options were a Jet Pilot, Royal Hawaiian Cocktail, and a classic Mai Tai. Got to say the two cocktails were quite good! Both Mrs Mai Tai and I both enjoyed them.

The Parking Lot Sale is taking place 2-7 pm Saturday and Sunday, so come by if you’re local. Vendor space is about half from previous years but lots of great stuff to look at and purchase.

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Joe Kent Completes Kon-Tiki Expedition

Congrats to the Oakland tiki ohana’s resident wildman Joe Kent for finishing 100 rums to complete the Kon-Tiki Expedition. It is always a pleasure to see someone else be celebrated for the accomplishment.

As is the custom, there was a special menu in Joe’s honor. I had to try the delicious Ports of Despair, which is basically what Trader Vic’s calls a “San Francisco Mai Tai” that has a 151 float added. Per the note, it is “sort of” a thing, though mostly at Vic’s. Just don’t call it an “old way” Mai Tai since that can mean something else.

The Scavenger special with Montucky beer and a shot was fun. The shot had bitters and pimento dram and who knows what else but was very tasty. Montucky is cheap and light lager that is about my style when it comes to beer.

Lots of familiar faces in attendance and Joe’s wife Shannon made a truly excellent rum cake. Fun times at Kon-Tiki.