Finally cracked it. After numerous attempts at making the beloved Disco Banana at home, I finally made one that compares at least a tiny bit to the cocktail made fresh at Zombie Village or The Kon-Tiki Room.
The secret?
I got a tip from the drink’s creator Jeanie Grant to freeze the crushed ice, and use more than you’d typically use due to the higher proof rum. And sure enough, the crushed ice that was left in the freezer was certainly dryer than ice directly from the ice crusher.
Disco Banana by Jeanie Grant ⅓ Banana ¾ oz Lime Juice ¾ oz Cinnamon Syrup ¼ oz Demerara Syrup ¼ oz Creme de Banana ¾ oz Unaged Agricole Rhum ¾ oz Unaged Jamaican Overproof Rum Blend with ice Garnish with grated cinnamon and a banana chip
Doctor Colada and Doctor Mai Tai attended a Halloween party and brought “shots” to heal all the “sick” people in attendance. Some very, very sick people. Thankfully, the shots seemed to be well received with no ill-effects.
Here’s the single-serving version of the batch that was used for the shots.
Blue Mai Tai 1 oz Lime Juice ½ oz Orgeat (“heavy pour”) ½ oz Blue Curacao ½ oz Rum Fire – White Overproof Jamaican Rum 1 oz Probitas – Aged White Rum
I don’t have a ton of these smaller “lowball” glasses, so this seemed like the opportune time to toe-dip into House of Tabu’s “Order of the Golden Fez” brand (or maybe it is a cult, I’m not sure). The glasses are still available, along with a pre-sale for the new issue of Exotica Moderne where I have an article about local favorites The Kon-Tiki in Oakland.
The Mai Tai was made with a freshly prepared bottle of Ultimate Mai Tai rum blend. That’s equal parts Appleton 12, Plantation Xaymaca, Smith & Cross, and Plantation OFTD. Rich, boozy, and delicious.
The orgeat comes from our buddy Tony Dunnigan who lives in San Jose. Tony’s homemade orgeat is pretty easy to make even if you’re lazy like I am. But I was happy to trade a couple rum samples for some of Tony’s orgeat. I noticed Tony has a couple Order of the Golden Fez mugs, so I guess he’s part of the secret society, too. Oops, maybe I have said too much.
Orgeat by Tony Dunnigan 2 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk 4 cups Granulated Sugar Heat in saucepan and stir until the sugar dissolves Add 1 “light” teaspoon of Orange Blossom Water Add 2 tablespoons of Almond Extract Add ⅓ Cup Cognac Continue to stir, then bottle
Had a really great couple of cocktails at Forbidden Island the other night. I started with a vintage cocktail, the Tradewinds. FI’s preparation was quite nice and I enjoy this cocktail that’s a combination of citrus, coconut creme, rum, and apricot brandy.
Next up was the Bombo, an old fashioned riff that features Forbidden Island’s barrel selection of Balcones Rum from Texas. The rum is high proof and very full flavored similar to Jamaican or Demerara rums. The cocktail features the Balcones rum over crushed ice along with dark brown sugar and fresh nutmeg on top. It was really outstanding.
The new Appleton 15 expression is rolling out and I was tipped that some Total Wine stores in the Bay Area were carrying a bottle or two. So I immediately put one on order and picked it up.
I’ve been waiting for this new Appleton rum. After last year’s Appleton rebranding that included reformulation of the Appleton 8 Reserve expression, this new Appleton 15 year expression is moderately priced and designed as a 43% ABV sipping rum. You don’t always want cask strength. The 15 is a minimum age statement, so the blend of pot and column still rums in the bottle have all been aged in Jamaica for at least 15 years. There’s even a certificate of ageing.
As we’re want to do at Ultimate Mai Tai HQ, we set up a #umtshootout. Blind tests against the currently available Appleton 8, and Appleton 12 expressions, plus sample of a different Appleton 15 limited release that I procured from an unnamed benefactor. The other Appleton 15 has a higher ABV, so was easy to pick out in the blind taste test.
All of these rums are pretty nice as blended aged rums, featuring lighter column still distillate and only a little bit of Jamaica’s legendary funkiness. Perfect for cocktails and I also enjoy drinking neat.
My favorite from the blind test? Thankfully, it was the 15. The Black River Casks have a much longer finish than the over two and a much nicer mouthfeel.
I liked the 12 second best, noting that it had a more caramel taste, with a medium finish. Meanwhile the 8 felt a little thinner, with stronger hints of orange.
If you’re a fan of Appleton 12 like I am, the new 15 Black River casks is worth the ~$20 premium. It tastes great neat and I’m looking forward to tomorrow night’s Mai Tai.
Happy birthday to Oakland tikiphile Laura Murphy (aka Pearl) who’s birthday is today.
To celebrate, I made one of Laura’s original cocktails named Spring Until Yesterday. Quite tasty using some of my favorite rums from Jamaica, and flavors such as Coconut and Falernum that I didn’t realize worked so well together. Give it a try.
Spring Until Yesterday by Laura Murphy 1 oz Lime Juice 1 oz Coconut Creme ¾ oz Falernum 1 tsp Herbstura ¾ oz Rum Fire Overproof Jamaican Rum 1 oz Coruba Dark Rum Flash blend with ice, then pour into glass or mug. Garnish with freshly grated cinnamon and a bouquet of mint.
Herbstura: equal parts Herbsaint (or Pernod/Absinthe) and Angostura Bitters
I’m such a big fan of Saint Benevolence rum, especially their Rum Clairin expression. An unaged rum from Haiti, I’ve long extolled the virtues of this flavorful, savory spirit.
The newly available aged expression is the same rum, just aged in barrell for at least a year. A great way to see how barrel aging changes a spirit, and makes the rum more approachable for many consumers.
It tastes great on its own, not “too oaky.” And it is wonderful in a Mai Tai of course. Had to use one of my tall Saint Benevolence glasses.
Saint Benevolence is worth seeking out. I bought my bottle of Aged Clairin at Bitters & Bottles.
