Giltron's Mixings

Who wants another round of Fernet-Branca cocktails? Your Uncle Giltron that's who! I've rounded up another quartet of medicinal compounds(including my latest creation) to help you feel better.

Now before we get into the mixing,let's find out some more interesting facts about Fernet-Branca:

-The distillery in Milan covers an entire city block. -There are over 300 oak aging vats in the distillery's cellars. -It became popular in the US during Prohibition because it was sold as a 'medicinal product'. -35% of all the Fernet imported into the US is consumed in San Francisco. -It's pronounced "fur-net". -It was named after Dr. Fernet,a Swede supposedly over 100 years old,who claimed it had health benefits. BTW,the good doctor was actually imaginary,but it's OK because in the realm of Tiki we dig a cool story. -The alligator in many vintage ads is named Fernando. He was chosen by the marketing department because they wanted an animal Americans would easily recognize. His belly is fat from eating too much,but he's dancing because the Fernet will make his stomach feel better. -The screw cap actually has a proper name,the Stelvin closure. It's actually designed for wine bottles without a cork so you don't need a corkscrew and prevents issues from the cork becoming moldy. So it's not a sign of something being cheap.

…and now onto the cocktails. Enjoy!

Mix #340 Hero With No Fear

3/4oz aged overproof Jamaican rum* 3/4oz bourbon 3/4oz Cherry Hearing 3/4oz vermouth rosso 1tsp Fernet-Branca 2 dashes Angostura bitters 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters

Shake with ice. Strain into coup glass with single large cube or sphere. Top with grated nutmeg.

*I used Worthy Park 109.

Master mixologist Brian Maxwell gives us our first round. He created this as a combination Father's Day and Star Wars Sunday drink. It's bourbon forward,so use good stuff(I used Old Forester),with touches of cherry and Fernet. Yes,you will actually taste that single teaspoon's worth. The amount of kick will be determined by what level of overproof you use(WP109 did pretty good). A good drink for bourbon fans who want something more complex than an Old Fashioned.

Mix #341 Odd Bedfellows

1oz Fernet-Branca 3/4oz dark aged rum* 1/4oz dark overproof rum** 1/2oz creme de cacao 1oz cream of coconut 1.5oz pineapple juice

Shake with ice and pour into snifter.

*I used Coruba. **I used Smith & Cross.

From the book,I'm Just Here for the Drinks by Sother Teague,the original recipe called for three quarters of an ounce of gold rum,but I swapped in the S&C after reading a recommendation on the web. This is a sweet drink that actually tastes like a Mounds candy bar with Fernet on the end. Good for introducing folks to Fernet who generally go for sweet drinks.

Mix #342 Three of a Kind

2oz 151 Demerara rum 1tsp Fernet-Branca 3/4oz lemon juice 1/4oz pineapple juice 1/2oz orgeat 1/2oz Demerara syrup 1 dash absinthe 1 dash orange bitters

Shake or blend with 10oz of ice and pour into mug.

Created by Kelly Merrell,this was the drink card recipe that came with my Head Stack mug. Obviously,with two ounces of 151 it's got serious kick. I actually used Hamilton Zombie rum,but if you want the full effect go with the 151. This is a touch sweet with Fernet on the end. Have this if you've had one of those days.

Mix #353 Harpy Eagle

1.5oz Cruzan blackstrap rum 1/2oz Lemon Hart 151 rum 1/2oz Fernet-Branca 1.5oz pineapple juice 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz Demerara syrup

Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

Your Uncle Giltron worked his magic with his shaker and came up with a funky,sweet-ish riff on the classic Jungle Bird that has plenty of kick and Fernet finish. The harpy eagle is found in the jungle,and with Fernet's symbol being an eagle I figured this would be the perfect name for my latest concoction. I really dig blackstrap rum,and I've been getting into Fernet,so this is going into my regular roster. Hope you like it as much as I do.

So if you need a little pick-me-up,grab a bottle of Fernet-Branca and make some delicious cocktails. And for your enjoyment,check out this gallery of classic Fernet ads.

On December 28,1956,Bob and Jack Thornton opened their restaurant and lounge in Fort Lauderdale,Florida. Called the Mai-Kai,the name stood for “the finest”,and it would soon become one of the most famous and long-lived Tiki bars in the world. Known for Polynesian live shows and many authentic artifacts(some of which are more than 100 years old) as well as signature drinks with secret recipes,it's basically the Graceland of the Tiki world.

Two of the rums they used in many of their drinks were Dagger Punch and Kohala Bay,both produced by J. Wray & Nephew. Dagger Rum was a 97 proof dark Jamaican rum that was available in different age expressions;One Dagger for 5 year,Two Dagger for 6 year,and Three Dagger for 10 year. It was later supplanted by Kohala Bay,a fairly cheap 87.6 proof dark Jamaican rum that came in handles. Both are now valuable collectables if you can manage to find an unopened bottle. Lately,Tikiphiles have been mixing current day rums to try and duplicate these classics. Given my love of rum,your Uncle Giltron just had to give them a try in a Mai Tai. Here's how they worked.

Kohala Bay Blend

4 parts Coruba 1 part Appleton Estate Signature 1 part Wray & Nephew

Coming in at 89 proof,this is very funky and really comes forward in a Mai Tai. I felt it stepped on the rest of the drink too much,but if you dig a really funky rum,and want to punch up the ABV(Alcohol By Volume),I think you'll like using this blend in any drink calling for dark Jamaican rum.

Dagger Rum Blend

2 parts Appleton Estate 12yr 1 part Coruba 1 part Smith & Cross

Less funky,but still flavorful,this comes in at 91.5 proof,but tastes smoother than the Kohala Blend. It really worked well in a Mai Tai,blending in nicely with the drink and giving it an extra punch of proof. If you want a nice Mai Tai with a little extra kick,give this a shot. I'm going to be keeping a small bottle of this around.

And since we're talking about blending Mai Tai rums,I can't forget about Kevin Crossman's Ultimate blend:

Ultimate Mai Tai Blend

1 part Appleton 12 Rum 1 part Smith & Cross Rum 1 part Plantation OFTD Rum 1 part Plantation Xaymaca Rum

Coming in at 106 proof,this has lots of flavor,funk,and octane. Use this with Creole Shrubb and Demerara syrup and you will have the ultimate Mai Tai. I keep my Ultimate blend in a cool art deco bottle(that I picked up for cheap at TJMaxx) so feel fancy when I'm mixing with it.

So try a rum blend in your next Mai Tai and experience a bit of the past. And if you come up with a tasty blend of your own,drop me a line and I'll post it in an upcoming article. Happy mixing folks!

In order to make a Tiki drink,you need to have the right ingredients. Two of the most common ones are lime juice and orgeat,both of which are necessary for the classic Mai Tai. In this post,I'm going to teach you how to select limes and make your own orgeat so your cocktails will turn out great.

As a bachelor,I tend to use pre-made juices and syrups. For lime juice I usually go to Wegmans and get a bottle of their cold pressed juice(I also use their grapefruit juice). Unfortunately,they're sometimes out. Now I can go to any grocery store and get a bottle of ReaLime,which is cheap and lasts a good amount of time in the fridge,but since I've gotten into mixing I've become something of a snob and prefer proper lime juice(I never use Rose's). So if they're out,I pop next door to Lidl and get limes for 35 cents each. If you're going to squeeze your own limes,here's what you need to know about how to choose them,and how to squeeze them.

First,you need to select good limes. This is a good lime:

(sorry,I had already cut my limes in preparation of juicing them when I decided to write this article)

Now limes are known for being green,but fully ripe limes are actually yellowish. You can see this one has a nice yellow color to it,and the skin is quite smooth. These are the two things you want to look for in your squeezin' limes;yellow and a smooth skin.

In this pic you can see a smooth lime on the left,and a bumpy one on the right. Despite the fact the right one is larger,the left one is better. Here's why:

As you can see from this pic,the left one with smoother skin has more to the segments(carpels is the fancy name for these) and less rind. The one with the bumpy skin has a thicker rind. This means the one with the thinner rind will give you more juice. The yellowish color also means it will be less tart. This is just what you want for juicing limes for cocktails.

When it comes to squeezing,there are many citrus presses out there,from inexpensive handheld models,to fancy professional ones that will take up counter space. I use a gen-u-wine Trader Vic's Lime Squeezer. I got it in a Mai Tai Bundle that included the squeezer,two nice teal Mai Tai glasses,and a bottle of Mai Tai Mix. The squeezer works really well,and the glasses are very nice,but as I've said before the Mix isn't too great. So if you want to get the Mai Tai Bundle and save a couple bucks,go for it,but give the mix away or save it for a cookout.

Any citrus squeezer will work,but technique is key. Don't crush the limes as hard as you can. Give them a smooth squeeze,but stop when the juice stops flowing steady. Don't try and wring every last drop out of the lime. Squeezing too hard will cause you to crush the pith(inner part of the rind) which will release bitter oils and make your lime juice bitter. While an ounce of juice per lime is considered the standard,I've found it varies between a half and a full ounce. If you don't get a full ounce,don't sweat it. Trying to wring out every little bit of juice out isn't worth it as you'll make it bitter. If you want to maximize the amount of juice you get,pick bigger limes with smoother skin.

Now on to homemade orgeat. I previously did a post reviewing the orgeats I've used. Since orgeat can be hard to find,and pricey,I decided to give homemade a try:

(look,I'm making something in the kitchen that's not in a microwave)

(success!)

This was the recipe I used:

Homemade Orgeat

12oz almond milk 16oz powdered sugar 2.5tsp cognac* 2.5tsp amaretto* 1/4tsp orange blossom water

Combine almond milk and sugar in saucepan and cook over med-low heat(don't let it boil),stirring until completely mixed. Remove from heat,stir in other ingredients,and bottle. Store in refrigerator for up to a month.

*I used Hennessy and Disaronno.

Based off Death & Co's recipe,they used superfine sugar and rose water,I used powdered sugar because it was easy to find and orange blossom water because that's a more common ingredient in most orgeats. It tuned out great. Similar to Fees or 1883,but more almond-y, it worked well in a Mai Tai. It wasn't too hard to make (warning,powdered sugar gets everywhere),and it was definitely cheaper than store bought,but there was one issue. It doesn't last very long. Store bought will keep for a long time in the fridge or even be shelf stable,but homemade is only good for about a month. And I had to buy an entire carton of almond milk,which I don't drink. So rather than waste it,I wound up making a bunch of orgeat and giving it away to my friends. Now if you drink almond milk and usually have it in your fridge,then go for it. But if you're not an almond milk drinker,and aren't planning on having a bunch of parties,then it probably will make sense for you to just use store bought like I do.

I hope you found my little TED talk to be informative. It is my goal to help you make delicious cocktails and not waste your rum. Happy mixing folks!

We all love those little red gummy fish from Sweden. The original flavor was lingonberry(vaccinium vitis-idaea),also known as partridgeberry,foxberry,mountain cranberry,or cowberry. The flavor is a cross of raspberry,cranberry,and pomegranate. Lingonberry is an evergreen shrub that grows in Sweden,and has traditionally been used to make jams,sauces,and jellies. The candy was brought to the US in 1957 by Malaco. The shape of a fish was chosen to represent the Swedish tradition of fishing,and in Sweden they were called Pastellfiskar or "pale-colored-fish".

So what does a famous candy have to do with Tiki drinks? Because nowadays people will use just about anything as a cocktail ingredient,and your Uncle Giltron got a bottle of lingonberry syrup for Xmas,so of course I had to dig up some recipes to use it in. Enjoy!

Mix #387 Ikea Lingonberry Old Fashioned

2oz bourbon* 1/2oz lingonberry concentrate 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Shake with ice and strain into glass with single large ice cube or sphere.

*I used Zacapa Edicion Negra.

So of course Ikea sells lingonberry concentrate,and this Old Fashioned riff uses it. Because I'm Tiki I used my good Zacapa rum,which worked really well. The tart berry flavor makes for an interesting twist on the traditional recipe. If you're an Old Fashioned fan,I think you'll dig this. Dark blended rums tend to work best,or you can use your favorite bourbon.

Mix #388 Nordic Breeze

1.5oz gin 3/4oz lingonberry concentrate 1/2oz elderflower liqueur 1/2oz lime juice tonic water

Shake everything but tonic with ice and strain into glass with fresh ice. Top with tonic to taste.

This has a nice tart berry/herbal mix with a gin finish. G&T fans will dig it. Use good gin as you will be able to taste it.

Mix #389 Northerly

1oz Planteray 3 Star rum 1oz Laird's Bonded Applejack 1/4oz orange curacao 3/4oz lemon juice 1/2oz lingonberry concentrate 1 dash Angostura bitters 1 dash orange bitters

Shake with ice and pour into lager glass.

From Facebook user Michael Bently comes an original recipe he designed for Thanksgiving,but works well as a summer drink. It's tart in a refreshing way,with the lingonberry and applejack coming forward. A nice light drink for when the heat rises but your apt building hasn't turned on the AC yet.

So the next time you buy some Scandinavian flat pack furniture,pick up a bottle of lingonberry concentrate with it. You'll be wanting a cocktail when you're done.

“The world laughs in flowers.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Tidal Basin is all white again,it's cherry blossom season! Your Uncle Giltron went down for peak bloom and took some pics for you to enjoy. I've also tried a couple new cocktails you might like. Happy Spring!

Mix #385 Merciless Virgin

1.5oz Appleton Estate 1/2oz Cherry Heering 1/2oz velvet falernum 1/4oz orange curacao 3/4oz lemon juice 1/2oz seltzer water

Blend with ice and pour into mug.

So I'm beginning to think that 'virgin' in the title of a cocktail means 'tart' This concoction from Smuggler's Cove has a tart cherry flavor. If you like tart cherries,you'll dig this.

Mix #386 Gilroy

1.5oz gin 3/4oz Cherry Heering 1/2oz dry vermouth 1/2oz lemon juice 1 dash orange bitters

Shake with ice and strain into coupe glass.

A second tart cherry drink,this one begins with the gin and ends with the tart. Another one for tart fans. This classic drink comes from the famous bartender Harry Craddock,AKA "the Dean of Cocktail Shakers". He was one of the big name bartenders in the Prohibition Era,and claimed to have shaken the last legal cocktail in the US before Prohibition took effect. He created this drink after moving to England and becoming the head bartender at the famous Hotel Savoy's American Bar,and authored their book,the Savoy Cocktail Book. He claimed to have over 2000 recipes in his catalog,so your Uncle Giltron has a challenge to meet.

Mix #286 Cherry Blossom Punch

2oz Cuban style white rum 1oz lime juice 1oz fassionola red 1/2oz grenadine 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Blend with ice and pour into Hurricane glass.

What if you like sweet cherry drinks? Have a Donn Beach classic from last year's Cherry Blossom post. I made this again this year because it's my fav cherry drink. I prefer it shaken,and this year I decided to add some 'punch' to the punch with Navy grade rum. I also bought this locally made cherry blossom rocks glass from the Made in DC Store in Georgetown. Check them out for cool Cherry Blossom swag.

If you haven't made it down yet,pop into the Tidal Basin before the blooms are all gone. And get a hug from the monk who's been hanging out down there,we could all use one about now. Hauʻoli Kupulau!

Happy St Patrick's Day folks! This year your Uncle Giltron has gotten some assistance from the legendary Trader Vic with a pair of genuine St Pat's Tiki drinks. Enjoy!

Mix #383 Dublin Sour

2oz Irish whiskey 1oz lemon juice 1oz orange juice 1 dash orgeat 1 dash rock candy syrup*

Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

*Use 2-3 dashes if using regular simple.

Citrus-y and a bit tart,this variant of the traditional Sours uses Irish whiskey. You'll taste the whiskey on the end,so use your favorite. I used Jamison for both of these cocktails and it worked well. And you can even get a Trader Vic's St Pat's glass to put it in.

Mix #384 Shamrock Tai

2oz Irish whiskey 3/4-3oz Trader Vic's Mix* 1/2oz lemon juice

Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

*Use 3/4oz of Mai Tai concentrate or 3oz Mai Tai mix.

A St Pat's riff on the traditional Mai Tai,this uses whiskey and lemon instead of rum and lime. You could also scratch make this using orgeat,curacao,and simple,but I used my TV concentrate since I don't get to use it much. A good Mai Tai for St Pat's or for folks who prefer whiskey.

So put on your green and have a cocktail. If you have enough,maybe you'll even see a leprechaun! And I'll finish this with a traditional blessing:

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Sláinte mhaith!

Are we having fun yet? You will after having these potent potables. Enjoy!

Mix #380 Don the Trader

1.5oz light rum 1/2oz 151 rum 1oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz lime juice 1/4oz orange curacao 1oz simple syrup

Blend with ice and pour into Notu mug.

This Trader Vic's drink is a nod to their friend Donn Beach. It's a Mai Tai riff that's grapefruit forward,a touch tart,with the 151 adding some kick. I tweaked it to use regular simple,if you want to try the original recipe,then squeeze a half lime into the mix and use a half ounce of rock candy syrup. A nice tribute to the legend and tart fans will dig it.

Mix #381 The Imperfect Storm

3/4oz light rum 3/4oz aged Jamaican rum 3/4oz 151 Demerara rum 1/2oz Averna 1oz lime juice 1oz pineapple juice 1oz fassionola syrup

Blend or shake with ice and pour into tall glass.

Master mixologist Nathan Robinson brings us two more delicious concoctions. This one was for National Rum Day. It's basically a hurricane for grownups. A nice sweet/tart/bitter balance with decent kick. Not as powerful as a regular hurricane,but also not touristy sweet. This tastes good without trashing you and delivering a hangover.

Mix #382 Tropic Like It's Hot

1.5oz Coruba 1.5oz gold rum 2oz orange juice 1oz lime juice 1oz lemon juice 1oz fassionola 1oz simple syrup

Shake with ice and pour into mug.

Mr Robinson's next cocktail is another winner. Very citrus-y,you won't have to worry about scurvy. And three ounces of rum will get you feeling right. If you didn't get your vitamin C from the previous post's guava drinks,this will take care of it.

So bust out your grass skirt,load up your shaker,and mix up some tasty cocktails. Booyakasha!

Did you know that guava juice has four times the vitamin C of orange juice? Here's three more cocktails to make sure you get your daily supply of it. Enjoy!

Mix #377 Krakatoa Punch

1oz dark rum 1oz spiced rum 1oz lemon 1/2oz pineapple juice 1/2oz guava nectar 1/2oz orange juice 1/4oz falernum 3/4oz orgeat 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 1/4oz grenadine

Shake everything with ice and pour into mug.

Tikiphile Mike Gilbert created a riff on this Trader Sam's cocktail that doesn't use Gorilla Grog,a premade mix used in some of their cocktails. This version is sweet and touristy and should be pretty close to the original. It uses a lot of ingredients,so unless you're trying to show off or really dig guava,I'd go with a simpler drink.

Mix #378 Guava Bomb

2oz Hamilton Breezeway Blend 1.5oz guava 1oz lime juice 1/2oz Demerara syrup 1/2oz coconut cream 1oz soda water

Shake everything except soda with ice and pour into mug. Add soda and stir.

Steve Shannon submitted this recipe for a contest featuring Hamilton's Breezway Blend rum. I thought would be sugar bomb,but it has a nice sweet/citrus balance with the guava coming forward. A good drink for guava fans.

Mix #379 Cargo Cult

2oz Jamaican dark rum 1oz Licor 43 1.5oz guava juice 1/2oz lime juice 3/4oz coconut creme 1tsp allspice dram 1 dash bitters

Shake with ice and strain into glass.

From the blog Boozenerds,this is sweet and guava forward with a licorice finish. A bit more sophisticated than the other two. If you want to try a guava drink that's not touristy,this is it.

So get some extra vitamin C with a Phineas Foggcutter approved drink. Booyakasha!

The Old Fashioned is a classic cocktail made with bourbon. But it can also be made with rum. I've gotten in the habit of ordering rum Old Fashioneds when I'm in bars that don't do Tiki drinks,so I decided I should do an article on it. If you're a rum fan,I think you'll like these. Enjoy!

Mix #375 Rum Old Fashioned

2oz dark rum 1tsp allspice dram 1tsp demerara syrup 2 dashes Angostura bitters 2 dashes orange bitters

Shake ingredients with ice until chilled,then strain into lowball glass with single large cube or ice sphere.

The classic Old Fashioned uses bourbon,bitters,simple,and water. The Rum Old Fashioned uses the shaker ice for dilution,swaps Demerara for regular simple,and adds allspice. The result is rum with a touch of something to take the bite out of it. Very spirit forward,this is a drink for folks who like rum,not for tourists. Use the good stuff to make this drink. I used my Black Tot 2024 and it turned out great:

(some of my foo-foo rum in my new Order of the Golden Fez glass)

Mix #376 Brother's Keeper

1.5oz Ron Zacapa Centerario Sistema Solera 23* 1/2oz Fernet-Branca 1/2oz Demerara syrup 1 dash Angostura bitters 1 dash chocolate bitters

Add all ingredients and ice to mixing glass and stir. Strain into lowball glass with ice sphere.

*I used my fancy Edicion Negra.

From Matthew Tocco at The Patterson House in Nashville,TN,this is a riff on a drink called the Toronto. The Toronto uses Canadian whiskey,while the Brother's Keeper uses rum. Again,this is spirit forward so use the good stuff. Very rum-y and bitter-y,the Fernet does a good job of smoothing out the rum. If you liked the other Fernet drinks I made you'll dig this.

So put away the juices and syrups,and crack open your good bottle of rum. Old Fashioneds let you enjoy the taste of rum with just a little extra to smooth things out. And you get to feel all classy with a cut crystal lowball glass and a big round ice cube. Cin cin!

Submitted for your approval,three moar delectable drinks from your uncle Giltron. I hope you enjoy them!

Mix #372 Jungle Bum

1oz Planteray Original Dark rum 1/2oz Smith & Cross 3/4oz banana liqueur 1oz pineapple juice 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz orange juice 1/4oz cinnamon syrup

Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

Created by Anna Syntek for Tiki Oasis 2025,this is sweet and citrus-y with a touch of cinnamon burn on the end. A nice little cocktail.

Mix #373 Kaiter Swizzle

2oz Demerara rum 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz velvet falernum 1/2oz maple syrup 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Add all ingredients to a glass with ice and swizzle. Top with more ice.

Named for the Kaiter Falls in Guyana,this comes from Martin Cate,the owner of Smuggler's Cove. A riff on a Corn 'n Oil,it's basically a sweeter version with maple flavor. Quite nice when you use the good rum.

Mix #374 Reverb Crash

1.25oz Smith & Cross 1oz light rum 1/4oz Wray & Nephew 4oz white grapefruit juice* 3/4oz lime juice 1.5oz passionfruit syrup 3/4Tbsp(12ml) orgeat

Shake with ice and pour into mug.

*I used pink.

Updated for the 20th anniversary of Tiki Central,this recipe was created by Ran Mosessco. Citrus-y and a bit tart,this has real kick thanks to the Navy and overproof. A good drink for tart fans who have had one of those weeks.

So don't be thirsty my friends,drink rum!

It's Mardi Gras time again y'all! Allons donc ceis!

Mix #370 Neptune's Monsoon

1.25oz light rum 3/4oz dark rum 1oz lime juice 1oz lemon juice 1oz pineapple juice 1oz passionfruit syrup 2oz simple syrup

Shake with ice and pour into plastic cup.

A signature cocktail of the Port of Call restaurant in NOLA,this is supposably the drink that was the last request of pirates condemned to walk the plank. Now,I would want a Mai Tai,and I'm wondering where the pirates got all the ingredients,but it is a good story. The drink itself is a trade secret,and this is one of three recipes I found for it on the web. I tried the others and this is the only one worth making. It's very citrus-y and a bit tart,but not bad. I'd be interested to see how the original tastes,and also how good their burgers are(they're famous for being the best in NOLA).

Mix #371 Vieux Carre

3/4oz rye whiskey 3/4oz cognac 3/4oz sweet vermouth 1tsp Benedictine 2 dashes Angostura bitters 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters

Pour ingredients into glass with ice and stir.

This classic NOLA cocktail was created in the 1930's by Walter Bergeron,who was the head bartender of the Hotel Monteleone. The name means "old square",which is the original name for the French Quarter. This is not a Tiki drink,it's a classic boozy cocktail. No juices or syrups,just liquor and bitters. Not my thing personally,but if you like whiskey use your fav and you'll have a nice drink.

So grab your beads,light your flambeaux,and pour your cocktail into a to-go cup. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

"For this was on seynt Valentynes day Whan every foul cometh there to chese his make Of every kynde that men thynke may And that so huge a noyse gan they make That erthe, and eyr, and tre, and every lake So ful was, that unethe was there space For me to stonde, so ful was al the place."

It's Valentine's Day. And yep,I'm still a bachelor. But at least my blog is easier to understand than Chaucer. And I've got a new mixing you can share with your special someone. Have fun!

Mix #369 Trader Vic's Passion Tai

1oz light rum 1oz dark rum 1/2oz lemon juice 1/4oz lime juice 3/4oz Mai Tai Concentrate 1oz passionfruit syrup

Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

From Trader Vic's comes a passionfruit Mai Tai. Pretty good too. Be advised it's not red,so maybe consider using an opaque mug. Use Navy or overproof rum if you really want to get things going.

So forget the silly card and box of chocolates,and make your special someone a rum drink. Just don't blame me when you wake up in the honeymoon suite of a Vegas motel.

Honk-honk! Guess what's back kids? Circus Peanut syrup! And it's on sale right now. So let's get to clownin' around!

Mix #367 Starburst

1oz pisco* 1/2oz pineapple rum 1/2oz lemon juice 1/2oz triple sec 1/2oz circus peanut syrup

Shake with ice and strain into coupe glass.

*I used grappa.

BG Reynolds has this on the back of their syrup bottle. It was ok,grappa forward with a sweet/tart blend. If you like pisco or grappa give it a shot,but honestly it wasn't anything special.

Mix #368 Circus Peanut Colada

2.5oz light rum 1.5oz pineapple juice 1/2oz lime juice 3/4oz cream of coconut 3/4oz circus peanut syrup

Shake or blend with ice and pour into mug.

Nathan Robinson brings us a riff on the classic pina colada. It tastes just like a regular pina colada only with some circus peanut on the end. If you're a sweet drink fan this is for you.

So put on your face paint,lace up your oversize shoes,and make a nice cocktail. Honk-honk!

So it's winter,and with the cold air comes the dryness that gives you those winter itches. Trader Vic brings us a drink that won't stop the itching,but will make you forget about it. Enjoy!

Mix #366 Vic's Itch

1oz dark rum 1oz bourbon 1oz 151 rum 1/2oz lemon juice 1oz fassionola 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 2 bitters

Shake with ice and pour into mug. Garnish with mini back scratcher.

Vic created this riff on Harry Yee's 1957 Tropical Itch. The original used three or more ounces of passionfruit puree,which made for a very sweet drink. Vic's is more balanced. It's bourbon forward,so use good stuff,and then there's some sweet,but not enough to make it tourist-y. The ounce of 151 also gives it serious kick. A good drink for folks who like bourbon and want something strong.

So if you've got an itch,scratch it. With rum and bourbon. Booyakasha!

Well,DC is stupidly cold and covered in snow. So I decided to mix something to make me feel warm inside. Nothing on a cold day like a rum toddy.

Mix #365 Rum Hot Toddy

1.5oz dark rum 1/2oz lemon juice 1/2oz honey or maple syrup 4oz hot water

Heat water. Put other ingredients into mug. Add water and stir.

So I have honey syrup,but I also still have some maple syrup left over from the Xmas mixings.

So I made one of each. Why not,I'm not going anywhere today. And I used the good stuff too;Appleton 21yr for the honey and El Dorado 21yr for the maple. The sweet and lemon compliment each other well,and the rum comes through with warmth in addition to the hot water. Very nice. Use the rum you like in daiquiris or grog and you won't go wrong. If you just got in from shoveling,maybe use Navy or overproof rum to thaw you out.

Stay warm,drink rum.

Over the past couple years,I've given you the recipes for making exotic cocktails. In this post,I'll be reviewing some of the ingredients used to make them. After all,a cocktail is only as good as what you put in it.

Orgeat.

Orgeat is a sweet almond syrup that's common in Tiki drinks,but kinda rare in traditional bar cocktails. That's why it can be hard to get a decent Mai Tai at a foo-foo bar despite them having top shelf liquors.

Fee Brothers - my go to. Nice flavor,decently priced,not too hard to find.

1883 - my other choice when I can't find Fees. A little better but pricier,and I've been able to find it regularly at one of my local liquor stores. My favorite so far.

Liquid Alchemist - good,but pricey. It also tends to go bad faster than some of the others. Ok if you're going to be using it quickly,otherwise I'd go with Fees or 1883.

Small Hands Foods - Pricey. Works well in a Mai Tai,but because it has apricot,it tastes different than other orgeats,so no guarantee it'll work in every drink. Given the price,I'd only recommend it if you want to experiment.

Torani - I'm a big fan of Torani syrups…except this one. The Doctor from Tiki Bar TV used it in an interview,so given that plus their other syrups I was excited when I finally found a bottle. But it has a funny aftertaste that I can't get past. After I went through the bottle I stopped using it.

Giffords - another big name,another funny aftertaste. I don't recommend this one either.

Toschi Orzata - more almond forward than the others,but I liked it. It was interesting in that it had a bit of an aftertaste until it had been in the fridge for awhile and thickened up. Works well if it's what your local shops carry,just keep it in the fridge.

BG Reynolds - very almond forward. It also tasted odd in a Mai Tai. While I'm a fan of their other syrups,this one is a pass for me.

Cinnamon syrup.

Torani - my go to when I can find it. Nice cinnamon burn(think Altoids) and reasonable price.

Monin - not as strong as Torani. If you like cinnamon flavor but not the burn,this is the one you want.

Passionfruit syrup.

Trader Vic's - good flavor,reasonable price,wait for sales at TV's site and stock up.

Torani - comparable to TV's,a good choice if you can find it locally and don't want to pay/wait for shipping.

BG Reynolds - pricey,but the flavor is more like passionfruit juice than syrup. Good stuff if you're willing to pay.

Grenadine.

Grenadine is made with pomegranate,but it's not the same as pomegranate syrup. It's sweeter and more candy flavored. If a recipe calls for grenadine you'll want to use it instead of pomegranate syrup to get the taste right.

Torani - my go to. Pretty much does what you want it to.

Trader Vic's - also good,but has to be ordered online.

Monin - their grenadine is good,but they also make pomegranate syrup which tastes different,so make sure the bottle says grenadine.

Master of Mixes - found at just about every grocery store,it's the cheap stuff. Works,but has lots of sugar. Use if you're on a budget.

Simple syrup.

Simple syrup is called so because it's just sugar and water. Regular simple is 1:1,rich is 2:1(twice the sugar),and rock candy is 3:1. Demerara syrup is just made with Demerara sugar to give a richer flavor. You can easily make it at home,but store bought will have preservatives so it will last longer. If you're going to burn through a bunch for a party then you can make your own,but if the bottle is going to stay in the fridge for months then buy the store bought so it will last. Since it's just sugar water I'm not going to recommend a specific brand because it's not something you can really mess up.

Orange curacao.

Created on the island of Curaçao,this is an orange liqueur made with brandy. Valencia oranges were brought to the island by Spanish settlers,but they didn't grow well in the climate and turned out bitter. Some enterprising soul figured out that the dried skins could be used to flavor liqueur and this would later be used to make the Mai Tai. By the way,blue curacao is just orange with blue coloring,the flavor is the same. Triple sec is similar but made with less sugar so it's drier(more bitter/sharper). No-one is really sure where the appellation 'triple' came from,but many erroneously think it means triple distilled. Most Tiki drinks that call for orange liqueur use curacao,using triple sec will change the flavor.

Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao - the default for just about every recipe that calls for curacao. Good stuff and my go to.

Curaçao of Curaçao - one of the original brands from the island of Curaçao,it's also very good,but can be hard to find. Their blue curacao is pretty much the highest quality blue made.

Cointreu - Cointreu is a triple sec,not a curacao,but is specified in some recipes. Cointreu used to have triple sec in their name,but dropped it to distance themselves from the lower quality stuff. If the recipe calls specifically for curacao,use that,but if it calls for triple sec this is the one to use.

Grand Marnier - pronounced "mar-nay",this is curacao made with cognac instead of regular brandy. It tends to come forward in a drink,so use regular curacao unless the recipe specifically calls for this.

Créole Shrubb - an orange liqueur used in Kevin Crossman's Ultimate Mai Tai,this is made with rum instead of brandy. Brighter and sweeter than the other two,it makes a nice Mai Tai. I only use it for Mai Tais as the flavor can change the taste of other drinks too much.

Falernum.

A spiced(think sweet not hot) syrup or liqueur that comes in different flavors. The correct pronunciation is "fay-ler-numb",by the way,but many people will try to correct you with "fah-lair-numb".

John D Taylor's Velvet - my go to,and one of the oldest brands out there. Donn Beach used it,and that's good enough for me. It's sweet and creamy with spice. If a recipe calls for falernum,use this.

The Bitter Truth Golden - I used this at first because I didn't know the difference,now I only use it in one recipe that specifically calls for it. It's got a brighter,more citrus-y flavor. It will really come forward in a drink,so unless you really like it,I'd stick to Taylor.

Maggie's Farm - I like their rum,and decided to try this after folks talked it up online. It's very lime-y with lots of ginger. Very different from Taylor's. I didn't like it at all and wound up giving the bottle away after trying to use it twice. It's also more expensive and harder to find than the others,so unless you really want to experiment I'd skip it and stick to Taylor.

Remember the old computing adage;garbage in,garbage out. Use the good stuff and your drinks will turn out right. And follow my blog and you won't waste your rum. Booyakasha!

Welcome back folks. For this post,I've dug out some past issues of Exotica Moderne for some new recipes. I went all the way back to 2020 to issues 9 and 11 for these. I chose them because they deviate from traditional Tiki drinks and allowed me to broaden my palate. I hope you like them.

Mix #361 Ticallion Stallion

1oz Plantation Xaymaca 1/2oz Doctor Bird rum 1/2oz Wray & Nephew Overproof 1/2oz Amaro di Angostura 1/4oz orange curacao 1/2oz lime juice 1/4oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz orgeat 1/4oz Demerara syrup

Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

So what is a Ticallion Stallion? Well,it's apparently the nickname for rapper Method Man. What does he have to do with Tiki? No idea. But this drink was created by bartender Nolan Graff at Max's South Seas Hideaway,so it's legit. It has a taste similar to a Mai Tai,only a touch bitter,but still smooth. The Dr and W&N give it good kick. A good riff for Mai Tai fans who want something a little different.

Mix #362 The F-Word

1oz Redemption rye* 1oz Yellow Chartreuse 1oz BitterTruth golden falernum 1oz lemon juice 1/4oz agave syrup

Shake with ice and strain into coupe glass.

*I used Old Forester bourbon.

I picked this one because I finally got a chance to use the last of my golden falernum. Submitted by Meghan Kirwan,this is a very interesting concoction. It's bright and herbal with some citrus and a touch of sweet. The bourbon(sorry,I didn't have any rye) is on the nose,but you don't actually taste it much. It reminds me of the craft cocktails you find at foo-foo bars. I liked it,try it if you're interested in an alternate to most Tiki flavors.

Mix #363 Gata Salvaje

1oz Pisco brandy* 3/4oz Santa Teresa rum* 3/4oz Diplomatico Reserva rum 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz pineapple juice 3/4oz passionfruit juice** 3/4oz Campari 1/4oz absinthe

Combine everything except Campari with ice and shake or blend. Pour into tall stemmed glass with sugared rim and float Campari.

*I used Grappa and Appleton Estate. **I used 1/2oz of passionfruit syrup.

From Justin Cristaldi,this has a mix of Campari and sweet with an absinthe finish. I didn't sugar the rim because that's not my thing,but that would've added sweet. I don't have Pisco so I subbed Grappa,which worked well. I also used passionfruit syrup,but cut it because it's more concentrated. Another interesting craft cocktail.

Mix #364 Mello Pomelo

2oz Denizen 3 white rum 1/2oz Cointreau 1/4oz Maraschino liqueur 1/4oz grenadine 1/2tsp Don's Spices #2*

Shake with ice and strain into coupe glass.

*Don's Spices #2 = 50/50 vanilla syrup and allspice dram

Kevin Crossman brings us our final mixing. I've no idea why he called it pomelo,that's a fruit similar to grapefruit,but there isn't any of either in this drink. Also,'mello' isn't a good description as it has a strong flavor profile with the Maraschino and Cointreau coming forward(there's also some sweet from the grenadine and vanilla). Another non-traditional Tiki drink.

So give these a try and experience something a little different. Always good to broaden your horizons. Booyakasha!