#rum drinks

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!

The weather may be getting cooler here on the grounds of Hagley Museum and Library, but our #ThirstyThursday today calls for a more tropical spirit.

Wonderful Rum Drinks was produced by the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company’s Rums of Puerto Rico division. The Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) was established in 1942 by the government of Puerto Rico as part of a larger effort to promote and transform the nation’s agricultural economy. The Rums of Puerto Rico division was created a few years later, in 1948.