Tag: Jamaicarum

Posted on

Turkey Grog

I wanted to do a grog riff that used Bourbon and Jamaican Rum as the base, so I chose two popular spirits that are both a little boozy. Smith & Cross (57% ABV) is a wonderful Jamaican rum that leans a bit funky, and is used widely in high-quality bars and restaurants. Wild Turkey 101 is a bold and boozy Bourbon that won’t break the bank. With more than two ounces of higher proof spirits, this cocktail pays homage to boozy forbearers such as the Navy Grog.

The two spirits seemed like a good combo, but this cocktail went through a few iterations. Thanks to the members of the “South SF Bay Area Tiki Ohana” group on FB for input, especially @laurasmurphy who provided tasting notes and suggestions.



Everything here should be pretty readily available, which is one reason this is calling specifically for Ruby Grapefruit and not the more traditional but harder to find White Grapefruit.

Turkey Grog by Kevin Crossman
¾ oz Lime Juice
½ oz Ruby Grapefruit Juice
½ oz Honey Syrup (1:1)
½ oz Velvet Falernum
½ oz Don’s Spices #2
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
¾ oz Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum
1½ oz Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
Shake with ice, garnish with mint. Serve in glass of choice.

Don’s Spices #2: Equal parts Vanilla Syrup and Pimento Dram/Allspice Liqueur.
If you have non-alcoholic Falernum syrup then drop the amount to ¼ oz.

Posted on

Old Appleton 12

Got to try some of this 1980s vintage Appleton 12 recently. Thanks so much to local tikiphile Kyle Graham for sharing a little pour.

You know what it tastes like? It tastes like Appleton 12.

I don’t say that to sound flippant, but to say that the taste of Appleton 12 hasn’t changed a whole lot for a long, long time. This old one tasted a little richer, and had a little bit of a longer finish. But honestly it was very close to what you get today and the last three vintages that I have in stock at home. So easy to drink but still very flavorful. It’s my favorite rum.

Posted on

Monymusk Special Reserve Rum

I got to taste several of the Monymusk rums recently and decided to pick up a bottle of this blended rum with a minimum age of 10 years. Only about $35, though this isn’t as widely available as Appleton or Myers’s. 

But it is worth seeking out as it has a delicious rich flavor with a hint of spice and only a hint of Jamaican funk. At 40% ABV it is designed for easy sipping or as a mixer in cocktails. This is more akin to Appleton 12 than Smith & Cross, and makes a delicious Mai Tai or Planter’s Punch.

Posted on

New Label Coruba Dark Jamaican Rum

Supplies of Corbuba Dark rum have been constrained over the past months, leading some to worry if the product would be discontinued. Instead, it has been a process of clearing the inventory of bottles with an older style label.

Behold the new Coruba labels! Interesting, this style basically matches an older label design. A few years ago, Campari made a whole line of Coruba rums; in addition to the classic Dark, there was Coconut and Mango and Pineapple etc. A few of these flavored rums are still available on dusty shelves in independent liquor stores, but why bother with flavored rums. Meanwhile, the workhorse Dark Jamaican rum that most people favor over brand leader Myers’s has dropped the “Dark” moniker and is now simply Coruba Jamaican Rum. Sure would be nice if Campari pushed this product a little harder, like they do with the Appleton and Wray & Nephew brands.

I love this rum (though I do slightly prefer Blackwell Gold, a sister brand also under the Appleton/Wray & Nephew umbrella), and it’s quite coveted by fans of tropical cocktails. At Hale Pele in Portland the Mai Tai rum is 3 parts Coruba and 1 part Wray & Nephew Overproof and that is a fabulous Mai Tai.

Looking at the new Coruba next to a pour of the previous edition, it seems like the rum is a hint or two darker and there is a slightly different taste that maybe be related to slightly more caramel coloring. That said, the differences are very small, so if you’ve liked Coruba rest assured this is still the rum you want to obtain.

I got my bottles at K&L Wines in the SF Bay Area. Look for these new labels coming to a fine liquor store near you.

Posted on

Birthday Dinner at The Kon-Tiki

Took the entire family to The Kon-Tiki for a birthday dinner last night. We’re not really doing indoor dining yet, so we grabbed one of the nice parklets outside. We all love the Kon-Tiki’s amazing Cheeseburger and it always tastes better when freshly served.

We arrived before 4:30 so that sun was still shining. So instead of a Mai Tai I decided to try two of the single-serving frozen drinks. The Uma Uma is Kon-Tiki’s riff on a Pina Colada/Chi-Chi and is always delicious.

I was especially interested in the Frozen Donnie’s Element, a cocktail from Kon-Tiki’s Chris Day featuring dark rum, banana liqueur, coconut cream, and cold brew liquor. Oh this is a really great cocktail – go seek it out.

Thanks to Oakhana regulars Laura Murphy and Woody Miller for the birthday rum dram. Woody asked Antoine Nixon for a recommendation and he picked a Hampden rum from their bird series. I love Jamaican rum so that was an excellent choice. So delicious.

Posted on

Planter’s Punch with Rum-Bar Gold

Mrs. Mai Tai wanted to get Malaysian and Thai cuisine from Banana Leaf in Milpitas, so we ordered take-out and it was quite fab. We love the Roti and my Satay Chicken and Beef was amazing.

I paired it with the the Smuggler’s Cove version of a Planter’s Punch. The recipe was a suggestion by Trader Jay who recommended using Rum-Bar Gold as the featured spirit. It’s a great recipe and a good use for this rum.

Planter’s Punch (Smuggler’s Cove)
1 oz Lime Juice
¾ oz Demerara Syrup
¼ oz Allspice Dram
3 oz Jamaican Rum (Rum-Bar Gold)
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Flash blend or shake with ice.