jamaican rum

Hamilton Tiki Takeover at Glady’s: Photo Essay

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On July 28th, my girlfriend, some friends and I went to the best event ever: Hamilton Tiki Takeover at Glady’s Caribbean restaurant in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Shannon, the beverage director and Rum Kween, invited me a few days before and I was beyond excited.

Ministry of Rum tasting! Ed Hamilton in Brooklyn! Tiki drinks with some of the best Rums ever! WOOOO!

Instead of saying millions of words about how marvelous this event was, I’m gonna do this Photo Essay style. Thanks to Blueprint Spirits for hosting the tastiest Rum event ever.

Hamilton Rum Gladys 2

The supreme menu for the evening: Kill Devil Grog, Bird of Paradise, Reanimator, Ministry of Rum Flight.

Hamilton Rum Gladys 4

Lil birdies waiting to contain the fabulous Bird of Paradise cocktail.

Hamilton Rum Gladys 3

Reanimators waiting for Tiki flames!

Hamilton Rum Reanimator Flame

FLAAAAAAAME!!

Hamilton Rum Reanimator

Note the Jerk Pork next to this Reanimator. Yummmm. 

The Carmelized sugar and charred lime smell on the Reanimator was legit out of sight! So was the drink itself. Definitely one of the most smooth, yet complex, yet refreshing, yet mind-blowing Tiki drinks I’ve ever had.

Here are the ingredients.

Reanimator

  • Rhum Agricole Ambre
  • Hamilton Jamaica Rum
  • Hamilton 151 (RIP Lemon Hart)
  • Honey
  • Falernum
  • Grapefruit Juice
  • Lime Juice
  • Absinthe
  • Bitters

Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Gold

Next, I asked Shannon if we could go off menu and make a Daiquiri with Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Gold Rum, Lime and Giffard Banane du Bresil Liqueur. It was so much tastier than I could have hoped!

Shannon Gladys Hamilton Rum

Shannon, master of measurement.

Hamilton Jamaican Gold Daiquiri 2

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The specs for this totally righteous Daiquiri were:

  • 2 oz Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Gold Rum
  • 3/4 oz Giffard Banane
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • Lime wheel in coupe

Shake it like a rocket, double strain. Slurp.

Gladys Rums

Now, Glady’s already has a killer selection of Rum. This was probably 1/4 of their total collection. Needless to say, I wanted to check out their regular menu.

Gladys Painkiller

But instead of checking out the whole of their menu, we just ordered as many Painkillers as we could handle! Best coconut drink ever and Pusser’s Rum really makes this drink. Piña Coladas ain’t got nothing on the Painkiller!

I wasn’t able to photograph Ed Hamilton (he was a busy busy man!) but I did get to chat with him for a minute.

Me: “Hi! My name is Dani and I’m a really big fan!”

Ed: “Hi Dani, you don’t look very big!”

Me: “Well, no, I’m kind of small.”

Ed: “You see (stands up and towers above me), I’m very big! Haha!”

Then I tasted the Hamilton 151 and damn, it really is 100x better than Lemon Hart. I told him so and then said, “well it’s ok that Lemon Hart is dead.” And he said, “Lots of people have told me that they like Hamilton 151 more and yes, Lemon Hart is dead.”

From the lion’s mouth!

Hope you enjoyed this photo essay and be sure to get some Ministry of Rum in your collection!

4th of July Daiquiri Party

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Daiquiri-1

Happy 4th of July Weekend to everyone! I’ve been thinking about what I really want to drink/serve at my 4th of July party and honestly, I just want a Daiquiri! Daiquiri Prrrrrrrrrty!

If you want to join in the fun on Instagram and Twitter, use the hashtag #4thOfJulyDaiquiriParty.

That being said, “I just want a Daiquiri” means so many things to me, and there are many variations one can make by adding one or two ingredients to the Rum + Lime Juice + Sweetness formula. I mean, just by switching out the Rum itself or changing from refined sugar to turbinado sugar can have a profound effect on the flavours of the drink.

Daiquiri-2

First, let’s start with the basics. Flor de Caña 7 Year is my all time fave aged molasses Rum. It is viscous as hell, creamy, with caramel smoothness for DAYYYYYYYS. It will make the best damn Daiquiri you’ve ever had. No lie.

Flor de Caña 7 Year Aged Rum Daiquiri

  • 2 oz Flor de Caña 7 Year Rum
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • 3/4 oz Demerara Sugar Simple Syrup (1:1)
  • Garnish: Lime Wheel

Combine ingredients over ice and shake. Strain into coupe and garnish with Lime Wheel.

DP-Daiquiri-2

Now that we’ve got a nice basic Daiquiri down, we can get a little more creative. For this one, we’re going to use a funky Rum from Jamaica that has been aged in the UK: Smith & Cross Navy Strength Rum. Our sweetners are going to get more complex with the addition of Falernum and some of my patented (I wish! Soon!) DD Mix. The spice set will come from the funkiness of the Smith & Cross, DD Mix, and one dropper of Bittermen’s Elemakule Tiki Bitters. Highly recommend these bitter’s y’all!

DP Daiquiri

  • 1 1/2 oz Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum
  • 1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
  • 1/4 oz DD Mix
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • 1 dropper Bittermen’s Elemakule Tiki Bitters
  • Garnish: hollowed out Lime half*

In tin combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Pour entire contents of shaker into mason jar. Garnish with one of the Lime halves you used when you juiced the Lime.

Don's-Special-Daiquiri-3

For this next one we’re going to go to the books and use a totally fabulous recipe from the 1970’s, Don’s Special Daiquiri. This variation was created to commemorate Don the Beachcomber and use his 1934 Daiquiri recipe while adding a couple of modifiers. I altered the recipe a tad because I felt it needed to be a bit more tart.

Don’s Special Daiquiri

  • 1 oz Jamaican Rum (Smith & Cross)
  • 3/4 oz Aged White Rum (Denizen Aged Rum)
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
  • 1/2 oz Honey Syrup
  • Garnish: Maraschino Cherry

Combine ingredients over ice and shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish with Maraschino Cherry.

DeLuna-Daiquiri-2

Lastly, we’re going to use three different Spirits in a Daiquiri that I named after my family. It uses two kinds of Rum and one of my all time favourite infusions, Pineapple Plymouth Gin.

DeLuna Daiquiri

  • 1 1/2 oz Denizen White Rum
  • 1/2 oz Flor de Caña 7 Rum
  • 1/4 oz Pineapple infused Plymouth Gin
  • 1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
  • 1/4 oz Cinnamon Bark Syrup
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • Garnish: Pineapple Chunks

Combine ingredients in over ice and shake. Strain into coupe. Garnish with Pineapple.

DeLuna-Daiquiri-1

Well, that’s it for this roundup. If you’re looking for more recipes, you could always try Or-zah Gabor or a classic Hemingway Daiquiri. Happy Independence Day USA!

Golden Banana Grog with Giffard Banane

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Golden-Banana-Grog-2

Y’allllllllll, I’m back from vacation in the Berkshires and I am ready to talk about Giffard Banane du Bresil! A couple of weeks ago, I posted on Instagram that I had acquired this most magnificent of liqueurs from Duke’s Liquor Box. (If you’re ever in Greenpoint, Brooklyn you must go, they have the best stuff ever!) Then around 10 days ago, I posted two recipes called Blame it on the Monkeys No. 1 & 2, which included a recipe with Banane du Bresil. Now here we are and I feel like I haven’t quite addressed the incredibleness of this Liqueur.

Giffard-Banane-du-Bresil

To be frank, Banane du Bresil is Banana Bread in a bottle. Now that might sound hilarious, but this flavour has such a huge world of possibilities! “Banana Bread” would go well with Cognac, Bourbon, Rum, Cachaça, Añejo Tequila, loads of Amari/Aperitif/Digestif (Byrrh, Montenegro, Aperol), fortified wines (Carpano Antica, every type of Sherry), other Liqueurs (Domaine de Canton, Apricot, Falernum) and so many fruits that I can barely wrap my head around what to do with it.

This liqueur is literally everything.

Tasting Notes:

  • Nose: Banana Bread, Banana, baking spices, tropical notes like you’d get from Falernum
  • Tongue: Buttery Banana, Cognac, spices, nutty, Banana Bread, ginger
  • Finish: Banana Bread, short, wide finish with spices lingering for a while

Gooooooodness, it’s just so damn amazing.

What do we do when we get a new Liqueur that might possibly go with Rum? That’s right, we make a Daiquiri. I chose Denizen because it has Grassy, Banana notes and thought it would pair well with the Banane du Bresil.

Banane du Bresil Daiquiri

  • 1 oz Giffard Banane du Bresil
  • 2 oz Denizen Aged White Rum
  • 1 oz Lime Juice

Shake over ice and strain into coupe.

To be honest, this definitely is my new fave Daiquiri and will probably be my go to til the end of the summer.

Golden-Banana-Grog-1

Now let’s get to this Golden Banana Grog. Again, I chose Denizen for its Banana, Grassy notes, and Smith & Cross for it’s funky, fruity notes. Banana & Orgeat are a natural match (didn’t even have to consult the Flavor Bible for this!) and Lime juice is the perfect acid to round out the drink. Hope you Enjoy!

Golden-Banana-Grog-5

These lil Banana slices are totally snoozin under the Tiki Umbrella.

Golden Banana Grog

  • 1 oz Giffard Banane du Bresil
  • 1 3/4 oz Denizen Aged White Rum (Sub any Trinidadian Aged White Rum)
  • 1/2 oz Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaica Rum (Sub any funky Jamaican Rum)
  • 1 1/4 oz Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz Orgeat
  • Club Soda
  • Garnish: 3 Banana slices & Umbrella

Combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into Collins glass over ice. Top with Club Soda and garnish.

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Yesssss. Luv it. Luv it forever.

Drinking with Mad Men Season 7: Tiki Cocktails

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Mad-Men-Tropical-1

Blue Hawaii & Mai Tai

To celebrate “The End of An Era”, welcome to a series of drinks from the television show Mad Men. Each week I’ll be featuring different cocktails from the show, so we can all drink along with our favourite Madison Avenue Ad-men and women.

By now, y’all should know that my love for Mad Men is deeeeep. It’s a meticulously filmed show with fabulous fashion, the story has me in the grip, and the cocktails are beauuuuutiful!

Mad Men Megan Blue Hawaii 1

Don’t you just love Megan’s hat? Beach hat perfection!

In the opening scenes of S6E1, Don and Megan are in Hawaii. (I want to be in Hawaii RIGHT NOW!) As Don reads an incredibly ominous passage from Dante’s Inferno, Megan’s second (third, fourth?) Blue Hawaii is delivered by one of the Hotel Staff. It’s almost like Don and Megan are in totally opposite worlds in these scenes. She, lost in her tan and tropical cocktails, Don in a brooding haze.

If I had to choose between those two temperments, I would totally be #TeamMegan in this scene. Give me the next Blue Hawaii!

Blue-Hawaii-1

When it comes to making classic Tropical and Tiki drinks, I like to be accurate! I use the Beachbum Berry Total Tiki app to look up recipes and then make them as closely to the original as possible. Blue Hawaii was created in 1957 by Harry K Yee of the Hawaiian Village Hotel in Waikiki to promote Bols Blue Curaçao. Personally, I like to use “The Genuine” Senior Curaçao cause this shit is tastyyyyyy.

Blue-Hawaii-2

Blue Hawaii

  • 3/4 oz White Rum
  • 3/4 oz Vodka*
  • 1/2 oz Blue Curaçao
  • 1 oz Sweet & Sour Mix**
  • 3 oz Pineapple Juice
  • Garnish: Not specified but usually Pineapple & Maraschino Cherry

Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a glass filled with Cracked, Crushed or Pebble ice. Garnish with fruit.

*I’m a Gin Gal and ususally swap the Vodka for Gin. Ginny, Gin, Gin. This drink is even tastier with Gin. (shocking!)

**Sweet & Sour Mix is 1 part Simple Syrup and 2 Parts Lemon Juice. Make your own, never ever buy it pre-made. Freshness is key.

Rachel Menken Mai Tai

RIP Rachel Menken, you were such a serious lady.

Now let’s go back to the beginning. Yes y’all, there is a Tiki drink all the way back in S1E1!

Don has made a mess of things with Rachel Menken and is asked by the partners to patch things up. They go for drinks that same evening. Don orders a Whiskey Neat while Rachel orders a “special Mai Tai” and what a Mai Tai at that! Look at that Pineapple “Firebird” garnish! It’s totally fabulous! Someday I will achieve such garnish greatness. However, I’ve noticed that the Mad Men props people forgot one key element to a Mai Tai garnish, the Mint sprig.

Mai-Tai-1

If it be a Mai Tai, there shall be a Mint Sprig in the garnish!

Once again, I’ve referenced the Beachbum Berry Total Tiki app for this Mai Tai. The original Mai Tai was created by Trader Vic in 1944 for his famous Trader Vic’s restaurant in Oakland, California. According to legend, Trader Vic created the drink for some friends of his who had just flown in from Tahiti. One of the friends tasted the drink and exclaimed: “Maita’i roa ae!” or “Out of this world!”

Mai Tai (Trader Vic’s Original Recipe)

  • 1 oz Jamaican Rum
  • 1 oz Aged Martinique Rhum
  • 1/2 oz Curaçao
  • 1/4 oz Orgeat
  • 1/4 oz Simple Syrup
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • Garnish: Mint Sprig

Now, I’ve had to make some substitutions because I don’t have clear Curaçao or Martinique Rhum. I also would rather have a bit more Orgeat in my drink than add 1/4 oz Simple Syrup.

Mai Tai (this is what Home Bar Girl has in her apartment Recipe)

  • 1 oz Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaica Rum
  • 1 oz Denizen Aged White Rum
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau Triple Sec
  • 1/2 oz Orgeat
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • Garnish: Mint Sprig, Pineapple, Maraschino Cherry

Shake ingredients over ice and strain into Double Rocks glass on Cracked, Crushed or Pebble ice. Garnish with Mint Sprig, Pineapple and Maraschino Cherry.

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As far as the Mai Tai goes, there are a million variations so, have fun! I just recommend that you start with two kinds of Rum, some kind of Curaçao or Triple Sec, Orgeat, Lime Juice and a Mint sprig. Once you’ve got a feel for how these things taste together, get creative!

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed these Tiki drinks from the Mad Men series. I’ll be doing this until the bitter end. See you next week!

#RumForTheHills: Or-zah Gabor

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Or-zah-Gabor-2

Y’all, for real, this might be the greatest name of all time for a Daiquiri variation and I didn’t come up with it! My friend Eleni Crush and I were talking about the wonders of Orgeat and she said, “Orgeat Gabor would be a great name for a cocktail.” It stopped my heart! So perfect! We decided to change the spelling to “Or-zah” and I started searching for the right ingredients.

Now, the thing about Orgeats is that they all taste differently. BG Reynolds’ Orgeat is a tad toasty and not quite as sweet as some of the other ones I’ve tasted. You will probably have to adjust the ratios of the drink depending on the Orgeat you have. For example, I was working on this drink with KJ Williams at Flatiron Lounge and they use a homemade Orgeat. We totally had to toss the Falernum and decrease the Lime because their Orgeat was sweeter than mine.

Fair Warning: this drink will knock you on your ass, Navy Strength Rum is no joke. 🙂

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Or-zah Gabor

  • 1 3/4 oz Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaica Rum
  • 1/4 oz Velvet Falernum
  • 3/4 oz B.G. Reynolds Orgeat
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • No Garnish

Combine ingredients over ice and vigorously shake until your body feels like a thunderclap. (jkjkjk, don’t give yourself a heart attack.) Double strain into coupe. Sip slowly and dream of sunny days and fabulous times.

Or-zah-Gabor-1

You will want to guzzle this Daiquiri, don’t do it! I want you to live!

Don’t forget to join in the Rum fun with #RumForTheHills on Instagram. 

Seafarer’s Sour

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Seafarer's-Sour-1

Ahhhh, the sea. Nothing like months and months of being at sea to really make you miss dry land eh? Ay, nothin’ like it. Well, here’s a sour for a Seafarer with one wary eye on the sea and the other which yearns for spices, flowers and dry land.

Seafarer’s Sour

  • 1 1/2 oz Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaica Rum
  • 1/2 oz Chartreuse Jaune
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 oz Demerara Syrup
  • 2 droppers Elemakule Tiki Bitters
  • Garnish: Cinnamon Stick

Combine ingredients over ice and shake until ingredients have combined. Double Strain into rocks glass over ice. Garnish with Cinnamon Stick.

Seafarer's-Sour-2

DP Daiquiri, Duke’s Liquor Box and some Funky Rums

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

Duke's Liquor Box

Tears. Tears of happiness. 

This magnificent wall of Booze is at Duke’s Liquor Box. I hate to say the phrase “well curated” cause it makes me sound like the next Trondy Hipstar but good god y’all, this shop is SO WELL CURATED! Just gaze into the photo and note that there are almost zero major labels in there. And what do you get when you aren’t selling Fireball and Jose Cuervo? You get really phenomenal bottles. This shop is where I’ve acquired things like: Cocchi Americano Rosa, Bonal, Dolin Blanc, El Buho Mezcal and Delaware Phoenix Bourbon.

Well, yesterday I was after Rum. I was after El Dorado 12, but when I arrived they only had the El Dorado 8. This was actually super fortunate because then I was able to go in a totally different direction, Funky Jamaican Rum.

Smith & Cross, Hamilton Jamaican Black Rum

Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaican Rum, Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum

WOAH. So funky, funky, funky! I did a side by side taste test and Imma tell you about it.

Ministry of Rum Collection Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum:

  • Nose: Molasses, banana, pineapple, tobacco, grasses, super wide nose
  • Tongue: Dry, citrus, caramel, molasses, allspice and other spices, chocolate, FUNKY, super long finish, super wide finish, 46.1% ABV
  • Impression: Honestly, there was so much happening that I was overwhelmed (in a good way). This Rum will stand up to anything. If i were to make a Tiki drink with 10 ingredients in it, what would stand out? Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum. So serious, so impressive, so bold, so challenging! I love it!

Smith & Cross Navy Strength Traditional Jamaican Rum:

  • Nose: Caramel, pineapple, banana, strawberry, tropical fruit (guava?), grasses
  • Tongue: Honey, spices, brown sugar, tropical fruit, FUNKY, direct finish, smooth short finish, to the point, 57% ABV
  • Impression: This is a really approachable, versatile and user friendly Jamaican Rum. Smith & Cross Rum’s combination of high proof, tropical fruits and short finish make it perfect for mixing with. I shall be using it in loads of Tiki/Tropical drinks.

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Hello new Funky Friend of mine. 

What do we do when we get a new Rum? We make a Daiquiri. Since this is a Funky Rum, I decided to make a Funky Daiquiri. Enjoy!

DP Daiquiri

  • 1 1/2 oz Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum
  • 1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
  • 1/4 oz DD Mix
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • 1 dropper Bittermen’s Elemakule Tiki Bitters
  • Garnish: hollowed out Lime half*

In tin combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Pour entire contents of shaker into mason jar (this is called a Dirty Pour**). Garnish with one of the Lime halves you used when you juiced the Lime.

*If you’re going to serve this garnish, be sure to serve the drink with a straw so no one gets whacked in the face.

**I always like to use mason jars when I make Dirty Pour drinks.

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Tropicaaaaaaal, tropical breezes. Tropical sneezes.