Category: Mai Tai

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Kon Tiki Single Barrel Release Party

Congrats to our friends at The Kon-Tiki who celebrated Monday evening with the long-awaited release of their Worthy Park Single Barrel Rum. This cask-strength rum from Jamaica comes in at a hefty 66% ABV and you’ll taste every bit of the flavor. Obviously overproof and quite funky by general rum standards, but not so much that this can’t be sipped neat or on the rocks. It’s from barrel 717 and aged five years in the tropics.

These bottles are for sale. Prices vary depending on whether you buy one, two, or a case, but think ~$60 per bottle. It is a great rum and supplies are limited, so be sure to visit The Kon-Tiki soon to secure this great rum.

For the party on Monday, there were some cocktail specials featuring this rum along with other products from the Worthy Park / Rum-Bar Rum portfolio. Of course I had to try the Kon-Tiki Barrel Mai Tai and this rum is simply a great choice. One of my favorite Mai Tais of 2022. Expect to see this as a higher-end Mai Tai option in a revised menu coming soon.

Got to speak a little with Zan Kong who is the Commercial Manager for Spirits at Worthy Park. Such a nice guy and knowledgable and passionate about what Worthy Park is doing. 

For many years the distillery has made a tidy profit selling bulk rum to the likes of Hamilton Rums, Doctor Bird, and others. But lately the distillery seems to be using more of their rum for their own products. I’m a fan of their mainstream aged rum release Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve, but also their unaged Rum-Bar Overproof expression and Worthy Park 109, a lightly aged dark rum. 100% pot still rum, always.

Kon-Tiki Barrel Mai Tai
Zan Kong from Worthy Park
Kon-Tiki Owner Christ Aivaliotis
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Last Rites – Return to the Jungle

Our first time back to Last Rites in a couple years. We had an early dinner nearby and popped in shortly after they opened at 6:00 to find a few folks at the bar. So we found a little nook off behind the front door, so still quite immersive. This was our first time sitting in the airplane seats that reinforce the plane crash into the jungle backstory.

Cocktails were fantastic. I was driving and just had the Bahama Trauma, quite spicy thanks to the spiced rum, syrups, and bitters – but still a great punch. It’s topped with a dried mango that was decadent. Mrs. Mai Tai tried the Kali Ma’s Doom, a gin and cream cocktail that I thought was fabulous. She also tried the Golden Idol which is a great no-ABV Painkiller riff with Turmeric Milk.

The atmosphere inside Last Rites is still going strong, with some light background music that at times leaned into New Age to nice effect. Staff were super friendly and prompt with service. We really need to get back here more often.

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Mai Tai Day at Forbidden Island

Had to go somewhere for the actual Mai Tai Day on August 30. Forbidden Island hosts their Ohana nights on Tuesdays and they had guest bartender Captain Dave from the Captain’s Cabin bar in Arizona, so this was the choice.

We were all too happy to relax on FI’s well-appointed back patio. Mrs. Mai Tai ordered her standard Chamborlada, always a favorite here. She also had the Tradewinds that combines coconut and apricot flavors so well.

I went with FI’s standard Classic Mai Tai. They’re using a multi-rum blend in the Mai Tai and I thought it was pretty good. There’s a certain tanginess that I really liked. They have a new cocktail menu and there’s a Viking Mai Tai that I’ll try next time.

Captain Dave had a few drink specials and I dug the Shipwrecked in Scotland, which thankfully leaned more into the Jamaican rum than the Scotch. Lots of good flavors.

Nice to be able to say hello to Michael Thanos, who petitioned Oakland to recognize the Mai Tai and where this August 30 Mai Tai Day stuff originally emanated from. Cheers!

Michael Thanos
Chamborlada
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Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Day 2022 Recap

Such a fun day in Emeryville yesterday at Trader Vic’s. Lines for cocktails and food were very well managed and plenty of outdoor seating.

My seminar on the Hawaiian Mai Tai went pretty well. A great turnout even in room doing cocktails and rum tasting and (after the door to the outside was closed) which was a little warm. Thanks to those who attended, for being engaged, and laughing at my jokes. The meme got a big laugh. Slides are available here on the site.

Photo courtesy Trader Vic’s Emeryville
Photo courtesy Trader Vic’s Emeryville

I was pleased to be a judge for the cocktail competition. Some great cocktail entries. Congrats to Marisa Miller for winning, and be sure to check out her Kunia Cooler cocktail during September at Vic’s.

Marisa Miller

So much going on. Wish there was time to socialize with more people but it was nice to see so many familiar faces. Thanks to @westcoastmseve for getting me onto the program.

And now for the actual Mai Tai Day on Tuesday Aug 30th. Cheers!

Photo courtesy Trader Vic’s Emeryville
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The (De)Evolution of the Hawaiian Mai Tai – Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Day

Here’s a link to the the PowerPoint deck from my seminar at Trader Vic’s Emeryville’s Mai Tai Day today. This is a revised and expended version of the earlier Tiki Kon presentation.

It is such a pleasure to be part of Mai Tai Day and I want to thank Trader Vic’s Emeryville management, especially Faith Nebergall and Eve Bergeron.

View/Download the Presentation

Additional Referenced Links

Presenting in the Cook Room at Mai Tai Day
Crowd Gathering Before Presentation (it got a lot more crowded after it started)
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Mai Tai Day 2021 Outdoor Fun

With indoor dining restrictions still in place, 2021’s Mai Tai Day event at Trader Vic’s Emeryville was held in the parking lot. Tikiyaki 5-0 played some energetic surf music, while some vendors were selling their goods. Trader Vic’s offered a Mai Tai slushie that was a treat on a warm and sunny day, available with or without rum. Plenty of picnic tables for relaxing and socializing.

I enjoyed the rotating guest bartender stations. It was great to try the Conga Lounge Mai Tai and I really enjoyed the premium Mai Tai cooked up by Doc Parks – complete with the first appearance of the Wilfred’s Lounge swizzle stick.

The special event glass featured a colorful design along with the recipe for a Mai Tai ’44. It notably listed the currently used Trader Vic’s Royal Amber rum, widely used in the Vic’s restaurants but pretty hard to find at retail. I do enjoy souvenir glasses with recipes on them.

See you Sunday for the 2022 Mai Tai Day event and be sure to arrive early to see my seminar on the Hawaiian Mai Tai at 2 pm.

Tikiyaki 5-0
Doc Parks’s Premium Mai Tai
Mai Tai Boat
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Mai Tai Day 2020 Virtual Toast

After the frenzy of 2019’s Mai Tai Day celebrating 75 years, 2020 was bound to be a more sedate affair. This was made even more so by indoor dining restrictions in summer 2020. So, the Mai Tai Day event was held in the parking lot in Trader Vic’s then current outdoor dining area.

The special glass in 2020 was a mason jar, quite fitting considering how to-go cocktails were packaged at Trader Vic’s during this period. It’s a wonderful variant of the seminal Trader Vic’s tapa design that’s graced glassware for years.

Drinks were available from the outside bar, and food could be ordered online. I thought my Mai Tai was quite tasty on this day, which was foggy and cool in the late morning when the event opened.

Later, there was a virtual toast with those attending in person being able to raise a glass with Mai Tai fans worldwide with Trader Vic’s CEO Rhett Rosen.

See you Sunday for the 2022 Mai Tai Day event and be sure to arrive early to see my seminar on the Hawaiian Mai Tai at 2 pm.