Mai Tai

This is the Trader Vic’s original Mai Tai. With the rums we used it ended up being golden amber in color. Both sweet and tart, it’s a damn good drink. A solid 10 for one of the best drinks ever invented.
My boyfriend likes to top this Mai Tai with a little pineapple juice. Yeah, yeah, I can see ya’ll cringing. I called his version the “Pineapple Mai Tai”. I’m a big fan of the taste of pineapple and lime, so this change-up works for me as well.

Spirits Used

Clement VSOP Rhum Vieux Agricole for the Martinique rum called for in the recipe and Appleton VSOP for the aged Jamaican Rum. I wanted to used Appleton VSOP 12 year, but as luck had it, we were out. I would also like to re-make this using Shrubb Orange Curacao. I went to a party a few years ago and one of the “volunteer” bartenders used this brand and it was damn good.

Clement VSOP - Rhum
Appleton VSOP
Marie Brizzard Orange Curacao

Syrups Used

Trader Vic’s Orgeat Syrup
Trader Vic’s Rock Candy Syrup

Rum Runner - Part Trois

Disappointed with my last two attempts at the Rum Runner, I gave it another try. I’m nothing if not persistent. I bought a new bottle of Blackberry Brandy. The bottle I had was pretty old, it was an old Dekuyper Black Berry “Flavored” Brandy. I tasted it before I threw it out and it was kind of sale and bitter. Although alcohol does haven't "go bad", I think Brandy and/or Liqueurs are best if used within a year or two. In any event, the new purchase was Marie Brizard Blackberry Brandy. It didn't say "flavored" on the label. MB is a pretty good brand, I use their Orange Curacao as well and have never been disappointed.

Okay, I do have to admit that I messed with the amount of Bacardi 151. I used a 50/50 mixture of Bacardi 151 and Flor de Cana light rum. I also used Rosie’s Grenadine.

The color was a nice raspberry color. It was sweet and tart, much better than the two prior versions. The better quality blackberry brandy really made a difference.
It was rather refreshing. I’d give this drink a solid 7, I would most def make it again.

Spirit’s Used

Marie Brizard Blackberry Brandy
Bacardi 151 (50%)
Flor De Cana (50%)
Rosie’s Grenadine (Okay, not really a “Spirit”, but wanted to write it down)

Rum Runner - Part Deux

I re-made the Rum Runner, the way it was supposed to be made with the Bacardi 151.
The color of the blended drink ended up being a light peach.
It was tart with a hint of the blackberry. It was okay, it’s not what I would call, “bomb-ass” or a “go to drink”. I wasn’t terrible, it just wasn’t particularly memorable. I’d give this drink a 4.

Spirit’s Used

Blackberry Brandy
Banana Liqueur
Bacardi 151

I used Stilling Grenadine, which is true “pomegranate syrup” and isn’t sickly sweet like Rosie’s . I'm thinking of remaking this drink, once again, using Rosie’s--stay tuned.

Rum Runner

It was a hot day in the Valley, so I searched the Grog Log for a blended drink. The Rum Runner seemed to fit the bill. I noticed that it called for Bacardi 151 as its main spirit. Having an aversion to Bacardi, silly me, I decided to substitute Lemon Hart 151. In retrospect, it wasn’t the best substitution. I should have just stuck with the original recipe and used Bacardi, but I was being stubborn.

The color was kind of a golden light brown. No doubt the Lemon Hart drastically changed the look and taste of this drink. The initial sip yielded a reaction of “tastes bubble-gum.” Needless to say, we both drank about 1/4 of the drink and set it aside. Damn shame, what a waste of Lemon Hart.

My alcohol substitution was not well throught out. I think I was just excited that I have 4 new bottles of Lemon Hart 151. Since the ugly rumors of that started two years ago, that Lemon Hart was no longer going to be available have come true, I had Lemon Hart on my brain.

Spirit’s Used

Blackberry Brandy
Banana Liqueur
Lemon Hart 151

I plan on remaking this drink with Bacardi. I also plan on making this drink in a blended and non-blended version for comparison. I recall making this drink in the past, with a light rum, and if memory serves I thought it tasted somewhat like a Lifesaver.

This drink goes back into the “re-do” pile. And btw, if you are doubling the recipe, which I did, it really puts your 7th grade math skills to work. Had to add fractions, ugh! Numerators, Denominators.....suck.

Von Tiki

This drink actually tasted like a Hall’s Lemon-Honey throat lozenge. It had a very strong “hunny” taste. Pooh Bear would definitely approve of this drink.

My BF gave it an 8, I gave it a 6. Don’t get me wrong, it was very good, it just not my cup of “honey”.

Spirits Used

Barenjager (German Honey Liqueur)
Stroh (Austrian Spiced Rum)
Mt. Gay Special Reserve Rum (Barbados)

Waikikian

This drink was amber in color and very lemony and slightly sweet. It does call for 1 ½ oz. of fresh lemon juice, so I guess that’s a no-brainer. It was a particularly hot night the San Fernando Valley, so the fact that it was a blended drink made it the drink of the night. This drink gets a solid 7.

Spirits Used

Cruzan Light Rum
Meyer’s Dark Jamaican rum

Singapore Sling

This drink is pretty strong. According to the Grog Log it’s an early 1900’s drink originating from the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. The word “sling” may have originated from the German word “schligen” which means to swallow.
This drink is kind of mauve-ish brown in color. It doesn’t contain any rum, rather it is more gin and brandy based.

My boyfriend thought it was too "too ginny", "too try" and "too harsh." It’s not something that he considers “poundable”. A drink he would order to satisfy his curiosity, but woudn’t order to drink again.

I on the other hand, don’t mind a dry drink. I used to be addicted to these in the early 80’s. Back then, I used to prefer a strong dry drink. I guess that’s why I would make this drink again. I’ve noticed that modern recipes add pineapple juice and grenadine to give it a sweeter taste, thus smoothing out the taste. This drink got a 3 from my boyfriend and a 5 from yours truly.

Fog Cutter

This drink was a nice sunny yellow, crisp and bright. It has just the right amount of gin which gives it a slightly dry taste. It was lemony and tangy. I really like this cocktail – Perfect! This drink gets a 10 in my book.

Spirits Used

Tanqueray Gin
Cruzan Light Rum
E&J Brandy

1934 "Annoymous" Zombie

This Zombie recipe is “an anonymous 1934 attempt to reproduce Don The Beachcomber’s Zombie.

This was the drink that was advertised in his restaurant/bars as “only one to a customer”. It contains 5 ½ oz. of alcohol and only 1 ½ ounces of juice, yeah, you read that correctly, 5 ½ oz. of booze.

We both had a tough day at work, so we decided that our first drink would be the 1934 Zombie. This drink was STRONG! Rocket fuel, seriously. I felt like I was punishing myself. I added a pineapple juice just to get it down.

Don’t get me wrong, if you want to get f’d up quick in a hurry, knock yourself out this is the drink for you! In all honesty, I'd rather slam down 5 shots of rum in a row to get to drunk-ville rather attempt this drink again.

Spirits Used

Laird’s Apple Jack (American Apple Brandy)
Mount Gay Special Reserve Rum (Barbados)
Cruzan Light Rum
Meyer’s Dark Jamaican Rum
151 Lemon Hart Demerera Rum