Tag: MexicanRum

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Confessing Sins at Oculto 477 Speakeasy

We had a great time visiting Oculto 477 in Old Town San Diego. The reservation-only speakeasy is located inside the Tahona restaurant and adjacent to the El Campo Santo cemetery that dates to 1849. After checking in, you are provided with the rules of the speakeasy (two drink minimum, 90 mins max, no flash photography) and then brought into a confession booth of sorts where you must confess to one of the seven deadly sins and also how you sinned before entering.

Lorona cocktail

There’s a small bar and some loungy tables inside, plus one booth for a larger group which is where we were seated. The cocktail menu includes signature cocktails named after each deadly sin, plus other thematic cocktails such as the Graveyard Shift and 1849 Zombie. I went with Greed, a funky Negroni with rye whiskey and Jamaican rum. I can neither confirm nor deny what sin I confessed to, but I’ll confess that I loved Greed.

Greed

Everyone in our group seemed to enjoy the cocktails, and there are some great non-alcoholic options. Julie enjoyed the Lorona with ginger and carrot – plus a great presentation in a skull mug with a flower. Unlike the bar in Tahona that basically was nothing but agave spirts, Oculto includes a large variety of “brown spirits” as well.

The cocktail list includes a Dealer’s Choice option, an indication they’re interested in going off menu. Noticing pistachio orgeat on the menu, I took a chance and asked for a classic Mai Tai with Mexican rum. After confirming that pistachio orgeat was okay, they delivered a fantastic Mai Tai that used Dakabend Oaxacan Pot Still Rum. This was really great, and that heavy but sweet cane-juice rum was a fantastic choice by the bartender. One of the top 10 Mai Tais of the year so far.

Mai Tai with Mexican Rum

After exiting we asked the host what 477 means in the name, and she said it was the number of bodies in the cemetery! Quite a unique adventure in Old Town San Diego.

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Rum Asylum Launch at San Jose’s Dr. Funk Tiki Bar

When downtown San Jose’s Dr. Funk opened in 2021 it came with the moniker “Rum House / Kitchen” but to date there hasn’t been a lot of emphasis on rum itself apart from a well-stocked back bar. That changed this week with the lunch of a rum club called the Rum Asylum.

Taking nods from the legend of Doctor Bernhard Funk, the club features thematic levels including the starting level called “Inpatient” that features twenty notable rums including one flight. The booklet that you keep with you includes a graphical map of your journey and places for the crew to stamp the spot after you order your item. Rewards and future levels are slated to be revealed soon.

Shockingly, Mrs Mai Tai decided to start the list herself, so we both ordered the rum flight that provides a nice intro to rum with Planteray Pineapple, Paranubes cane rum from Mexico, and Appleton 12 from Jamaica. Each rum on the list can be ordered as a Daiquiri for a $3 up-charge, and Kō Hana Kea was a big hit for Julie in format. Meanwhile, I went to “oak town” with Appleton 21 and Privateer Queen’s Share, each of which feature tons of wood aging notes.

This new program is just getting off the ground, but look for rum-related events and additional levels with some interesting and unique rewards to be announced soon. In the meantime, now is a perfect time to explore the initial list that includes a very nice variety of mainstream rums all under $50 for a 1½ oz pour (most substantially less). The list includes Dr Funk’s unique blend of Myers’s Single Barrel Select and rums from Martinique, Barbados, the United States, and more.

Thanks to Amanda Hastings for hosting the launch event and helping customers get acquainted. Note: nurse Amanda will not be appearing nightly.

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Camazotz Oaxacan Rum at The Kon-Tiki

Known locally as Aguardiente de Caña, Camazotz Mexican rum is made from sugar cane juice, fermented with wild yeast, and distilled in a copper pot still. The liquid is then transported by mules 5 km up a mountainside for collection. This is an unaged spirit and bottled at 48% ABV, so it is plenty flavorful. Flavors lean toward olive notes rather than grassy notes, though the vegetal flavors inherent with sugar cane juice-based spirits is certainly present. It’s fantastic.

The Kon-Tiki remains a leader in rum selection in the East Bay, offering neat pours alongside putting these interesting and often rare rums in cocktails like Daiquris or Mai Tai’s.