I have a horrible admission to make. I’m now willing, without intervention, to come out off the shelf and spill my guts on it. I revealed in the Coconaut post my love of Tiki Mugs. But, I must tell you true. I am not only a fan, and a collector, but I am an ADDICT.
Short, tall, colorful, classic, modern, bring them all the heck on! I’d sell my soul for a Volcano Bowl, play the kazoo for a Fugu for Two, or even enter a blind Foosball tournament for one of Rum Demon’s classics. I’ve got a personal collection well over 100, most of which are listed on my Ooga-Mooga account. I even bought about a few dozen mugs from Tiki Farm for folks what came to Tiki Tuesday at Teardrop! but my li’l collection pales in comparison to the man in the video below. That is none other than Duke Carter, author of Tiki Quest, a sort of Collector’s Guide with a LOT of pretty pictures, and not so many of those damnable lists.
Here’s a video interviewing the author and showing off his rather stupendous collection. I’m sure some day I’ll have a collection like his… when I open a new wing of the Galley, maybe… and happen to find a unicorn in a compromising position with Bill Gates… maybe.
A soon-to-appear webcam (and possibly brief nudity)!
Updating from the bar!
I think the most exciting thing about this is setting up a cocktail menu in PDF format for patrons to browse through. My current menu system is… well, dim, multi-colored lighting and an 11 point font just don’t mix.
Along with this, I’ve got a new section coming up for the site, Concoctioneering! Think of it as a one-stop shop for all your syrups and mixers. If you’ve got something you’ve got questions on, let me know and I’ll cover it. Just finished a few batches of fun stuff, some Blood Orangecello, Meyer Limoncello, Ginger and Rhubarb Syrups, and even packed about 2 liters of Falernum (spirit, no sugar) into a barrel for aging… expect some interesting notes on that one.
Time to go whip up some more Pa’avaetuli! Company is coming, and there is drinking to be done!
Bottles line the shelves in my basement, a great source of insulation in the summer heat, or in winter’s cool. At times though, the collection can be a touch overwhelming, like a library bookshelf of half-read books, dog-eared pages and slightly bent spines, waiting for a bit of time and patience. Sometimes, though I appreciate their presence, I see the bottles for what could be there.
My day-to-day mixing rums and other liquors get replaced on about a monthly basis, but my sippers and “this and thats” tend to stay quite awhile, sometimes years, before they make any movement. So, what better way to make some headway and share some fine fun with folks than hosting a rum tasting!
Last Friday was the first in what should be a bi-monthly or so event, with a rum tasting at the Reynoles Galley. The theme this month, Top Shelf Rums! A fine selection of rums from Guatemala, Venezuela, Cuba, Antigua, Jamaica, and two blended Naval rums. Here’s a link to the tasting notes PDF that was used for the event. Use it, find the rums, and taste for yourself!
Here is some info on the rums tasted, along with tasting notes from a few of the local liquorati.
Sea Wynde - Light Vanilla and butterscotch nose, sweet and smooth body with a bit of fire. Smokey finish. Did not stand above the crowd, but generally smooth.
English Harbour - Gentle honey notes, but very light nose. Very vanilla body with no burn on the finish.
Havana Club Barrel Proof - Floral nose, surprisingly smooth all over for a barrel proof rum. Complex with lots of floral and maple notes, and extremely well-balanced.
Diplomatico Exclusiva Reserve - Sweet vanilla, some citrus on the nose. The body is like pure maple syrup, with no burn on the finish. Fantastic sipper, though a bit one-noted.
Zaya - Almost no nose, strong brown sugar and maple body, with an almost bourbon-like finish. A fantastic top shelf rum.
Pusser’s 15 year old, in the Trafalgar-edition bottle. - Fantastic bottle Sweet, fruit and grassy nose. Complex but balanced body, with some strange copper notes, but mostly honey and a bit of woodiness to it. Sugary finish with a bit of pleasant burn. An outstanding rum.
Appleton 21 - Citrusy, cinnamon nose. Nose follows into the body, with the same flavors, along with some honey. Smooth, sugary finish. Top of the Appleton line (until we see the 30 year, maybe).
Ron Zacapa XO - Sweet and smokey nose. Subtle and smooth body, with light tastes of apricot and honey, and a hint towards salt. The finish is strongly maple. Fantastic, but maybe not worth the jump in price from the Centennario.
I’ll have to put up a template for those tasting notes. Ed Hamilton also has a great post to read at the Cocktail Times on Rum Tasting, which I passed out to attendees. Grab some bottles and invite some friends over, it’s a guaranteed good time.
Posted by TraderTiki on August 29th, 2007 — Posted in Bilge, Galley
I’ll be adding this to the Galley page as well, but in the meantime, enjoy a quick video walkthrough of the Galley. You’ll see the treasure trove, main bar, side bar, liquor shelves, a few bits of wall decor, and the Marquesan tiki. The sound is from the actual sound system in the bar.
This is the place I go to mix a drink, read from my library, and relax. If I had my druthers, I’d never have to go back upstairs.
