One of my favorite holiday traditions is the mug swap at Alameda’s Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge. You bring a mug that’s boxed or bagged and then when your name is called you take one from the pile. You trade in a mug maybe you don’t love and you might end up with something better, it’s just that simple. No stealing in this swap.
The event was organized and hosted by Chad Martens. This year there were three categories of mugs based on resale value, which worked well so that you don’t trade something super rare for a garbage mug.
As it turns out, Mrs Mai Tai actually picked the mug I brought 😂. I showed her the mug before we left but I forgot to show her the bag! But, we ended up trading for something else with one of the other event attendees after the picking of bags was over. It was a Christmas miracle.
FI was super packed, needless to say. So thanks to Sara Rivas for keeping up with the bar orders and making some fab cocktails, and the entire staff working well together. Fun times.
Distilleries often have different production methods to produce disparate types of spirit expressions. Each recipe and production method that produces a different final distillate is called a mark and distilleries often have several of these. Hampden Estate in Jamaica produces eight distinct marks – most of which go back decades.
The 8 Marks Collection produced in conjunction with La Maison & Velier USA lets consumers be able to directly compare Hampden’s eight marks side by side by side. The large box contains 200ml bottles of each mark, plus a handy reference sheet for the distillery and for each mark. Noteworthy are all the precise details about wash components, fermentation time and type, chemical compounds, and more. Each is presented at 60% ABV, so needless to say flavor won’t be lacking, and with all of these being unaged you can taste them without the variability that aging in barrels can provide.
I obtained mine at a tasting event where we received the kits and were led through the details. Most of Hamdpden’s expressions are high on the ester scale, up to DOK at 1600gr/hLPA and the highest the Jamaican government allows. But all of these are funk bombs to a greater or lesser degree. Even after going through seven of these I really did feel that DOK was a different beast.
The variability of these expressions is noticeable and interesting. HLCF (the basis for Rum Fire) is probably the most complex and rich, despite being in the middle of the ester scale. More esters does not necessarily mean better, that’s for sure. In my tasting, I liked rare C<>H mark the best.
The 8 Marks collection is available in some retail locations already, with more to come soon. Price varies from around $150 and up. This isn’t a super limited release, but Hampden says this won’t be an annual release – though a version of this tasting kit with the marks aged for one year is coming in 2024.
For a more in-depth look at this collection, I encourage you watch this video from our friend Arminder.
Everyone’s favorite Mai Tai inventor was born on this day in 1902. Victor Jules Bergeron had a difficult childhood, losing a leg to tuberculosis when just six year old. Early adulthood was no better until he scrapped some money together to open a small restaurant and bar at named Hinky Dinks at 65th and San Pablo avenue in Oakland in 1934.
A visit Don the Beachcomber’s convinced Bergeron to adjust the theme of his venue. The Bamboo Room at “Trader Vic at Hinky Dinks” opened as initially as an exclusive ladies’ lounge. Later, it became a co-ed destination and eventually the Trapper Lodge theme of Hinky Dinks gave way entirely to a Polynesian theme. The venue eventually got a shorter name, simply Trader Vic’s in 1938.
This photo shows Bergeron in the midst of that transition, sporting a Pith Helmet that never became his trademark and was soon forgotten. One guesses that Bergeron thought a hat would add character to his persona, as it did for Donn Beach. One also guesses that Bergeron got fed up wearing such head-ware and might have even thrown it into the trash accompanied by colorful profanity.
Bergeron’s fame soon spread as a restaurateur and cocktail developer, a celebrity chef of sorts. That fame as the Gordon Ramsay of his day was one reason he was asked to develop a cocktail menu for the Matson hotel properties in Waikiki where the Mai Tai became a viral sensation starting in 1953.
Bergeron died in 1984 at the age of 81, but today let’s remember the young man who was about to shake up the restaurant and cocktail world. Raise a glass of rum or brandy, or maybe a famous Trader Vic’s cocktail such as the Fogcutter, Eastern Sour, or a Mai Tai. Cheers and happy birthday to Trader Vic Bergeron.
I’ve liked most of the Liquid Alchemist syrups I’ve tried, so I picked up this Grenadine that’s new to me. It’s a really fantastic syrup, rich and tart. The ingredients include Pomegranate juice and also Pomegranate molasses, along with Orange Blossom Water. Unlike some thin commercial syrups, you can see that the color is very dark reddish purple that works great when mixed in cocktails.
Having tasting this Liquid Alchemist Grenadine just by itself, I thought it’d work well in a Port Light cocktail using a heavy pour. Indeed it works great alongside Passion Fruit Syrup and Bourbon and really made for a nice rich drink.
Port Light 1 oz Lemon Juice ½ oz Passion Fruit Syrup (Small Hand) ½ oz Liquid Alchemist Grenadine (heavy pour) 1½ oz Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon Shake with Crushed Ice
Modified version of the Kahiki Port Light, via Beachbum Berry’s Grog Log.
We had a great time at Forbidden Island last Saturday taking one of Mrs. Mai Tai’s work colleagues for their first tiki bar experience. Nicely busy but not too crazy until a party bus full of revelers showed up wearing holiday costumes (we think we even saw Buddy the Elf), though thankfully they were seated in the patio. We enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere inside in our booth, thank you very much.
I’ve decided to start another Kill-Devil Club 1.0 rum list at Forbidden Island. We’ll see how long it takes without the to-go option that helped me accelerate the exploration of rum in 2020-2021, but I’m looking forward to trying some new rums and old favorites. Nice to be able to try these rums in a Daiquiri or Mai Tai for a nominal upcharge.
I really enjoyed the Mai Tai with Smith & Cross Jamaica rum. The bold and boozy rum really played well with this finely prepared cocktail, definitely one of the best of 2023.
Thanks to Michael for always appreciated hospitality and also to Justin for a great suggestions for a nearby Sushi restaurant.
Light rum, dark rum, and orange curaçao sounds good. A little orgeat would sound better, but alas isn’t noted.
Also not noted is the bubbly carbonation of this canned cocktail. It isn’t good, I’m afraid, since it doesn’t taste like a Mai Tai and the bubbles make this feel more like a Mimosa than a cocktail.
