Category: Rum

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Oakhana Down the Hatch Game 2020

I grew up in the 1970s, which meant that it was impossible to not be aware of the seminal 1970s game show, Match Game. It was one of my favorites back then, and remains a favorite today. 

So, I decided to put together a Match Game themed game show for the tiki ohana community based in Oakland, the Oakhana. We met up on Zoom and everyone dressed up so fabulously. And everyone was well lubricated, a Match Game tradition.

Questions ranged from “dumb” things to put into a Mai Tai, the country that makes the best rum, tiki artists, naughty cocktails, and a few Oakland-specific questions. Plus two Audience Match rounds and two Super Match challenges.

There was a primary game and then a “second round” using some alternative questions with the same panelists but different contestants. Hope you enjoy.

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Happy National Daiquiri Day

This recipe was promoted by Trader Vic’s today so I thought I’d make it. Gave me the excuse to open a new bottle of Probitas, my favorite white rum.

Trader Vic’s Daiquiri
1½ oz Light Rum (Probitas)
¾ oz Lime Juice
¼ oz Maraschino Liqueur
½ tsp Sugar

I’d cut the Maraschino in half next time. But little riffs on the traditional Daiquiri recipe are always welcome.

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Making More Ultimate Mai Tai Rum

All out of Mai Tai rum. Time to make some more.

Use in equal parts:

  • Appleton Estate Rare Blend Aged 12 Years (“Appleton 12”)
  • Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum
  • Plantation OFTD
  • Plantation Xaymaca

Pro-tip: filling up a bottle in this way has much easier math if you are using a 1 liter bottle, rather than 750 ml. An old Coruba bottle works nicely.

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Happy World Rum Day

It’s also National Mojito Day, but while I’ll happily order a Mojito at a restaurant when there are no better choices, you know that’s not really my drink. Instead I’m choosing to celebrate World Rum Day (the second Saturday in July). This important occasion was christened just last year by Paul Jackson of worldrumguide.com.

The Mai Tai tonight is a traditional 1944 Mai Tai with the most expensive rum in my collection – Foursquare 2007. It’s delicious. Of course, as a rum-forward cocktail it stands to reason that this fabulous rum would serve as a great base. And at ~60% ABV it backs a punch, too. Everything coming out of Foursquare right now is amazing, and though some of their expressions are priced at a premium I feel good about the quality of the spirt in the bottle.

The glass is by The Kon-Tiki in Oakland, where I sampled 100 rums and completed the Kon-Tiki Expedition late last year. They’ve got a great collection of rums and someday I’ll be able to sample more of them.

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Aloha Friday and National Pina Colada Day

And look! The incredible Eye of the Tiki mug from Vantiki has arrived. There have been plenty of things to be bummed about in 2020, but this mug and the fine folks behind Tiki-Kon are not one of them. This two-sided mug turned out great, and Justin and Greg of Tiki-Kon have handled everything so professionally and with love, including getting these mugs out very quickly. I couldn’t be happier with the mug.

For National Pina Colada day I prepared two cocktails with Cruzan Rum as the base. Mine was a Pina Colada with a float of Pussers rum, whereas Mrs. Mai Tai enjoyed her Pina Colada in the Forbidden Island “Chamborlada” style with Chambord Liqueur. Delish.

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Mount Gay Extra Old

I visited 52 tiki bars in 2019, so needless to say I’ve been feeling extra restless lately. Local tiki celeb Correy Bravo (aka MidCenturyTiki) turned me on to a liquor store close by with some older vintage rums, so I thought I’d start checking out these places myself to see if they hold any treasures.

Bob’s Discount Liquors seems to be the best in the southeast Bay Area. Found some older Appleton 12 and VX bottles, some late 1990s Trader Vic’s rums, plus some of the flavored Coruba releases that are no longer available.

At Mission Blvd. Market in Fremont I even found some 15 year old and 25 year old Trader Vic’s mixes (which can’t be fit for human consumption, see my earlier post). At that store I also found this bottle of Mount Gay Extra Old – circa 2007 or 2008. I have the two latest XO releases and so I took a chance on this one.

What I should have noticed was that the bottle seemed a little less than full. Once I opened it up I found that the cork was shot. Since ABC regulations say that liquor cannot be returned for refund unless it is “unfit for human consumption” I was stuck with it. Luckily, I was able to use a corkscrew to get the cork out without further deterioration.

This older Mount Gay expression is wonderful. Flavorful and a bit more spicy than the pre-2020 XO release. So, it all ended well. Additionally, I knew there was a good reason to keep a few spare bottles around the house.

Mount Gay Extra Old with Mount Gay XO (pre-2020) and XO (2020-)
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Pusser’s Aged 15 Year Rum

Loving the Pusser’s Aged 15 Year

I recently drained my old bottle of an aged Demerara rum and wanted to replace it with one without any added sugar. Thankfully, I was reminded about this excellent expression during an Instagram Live session with Pussers and hosted by Suzanne Long.

The Pussers 15 definitely fit in alongside other Demerara rums, with a heavy nose, smoky flavor, and rich on the tongue. But is refined and so easy to drink neat (or with a ice cube). Not too smoky… just right.

Thanks Bitters and Bottles for carrying this.

Minor gripe: I expect higher quality on the orientation of the label for a bottle of rum in this price range. It is quite a bit off center.