Post #750967 by Hurricane Hayward on Wed, Sep 16, 2015 11:46 AM

As I continue on my path to update all the cocktails featuring Hamilton rums from Guayana, a few detours were encountered. More on that later.

But first, a quick update to the Wahine Delight to add some new info and a photo. If you order this drink after dinner in the dining room, it may arrive fancily ...

http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/05/13/mai-kai-cocktail-review-a-delightful-after-dinner-drink-for-wahines-and-men-too/

I also updated the Pina Colada to make reference to the "Black Colada," a version featuring Captain Morgan Black spiced rum. It has some fans, and it's worth a try if you're a Pina Colada fan.
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/01/14/mai-kai-cocktail-review-tradition-quality-give-pina-colada-a-much-needed-dose-of-respect/

And the Special Reserve Daiquiri (orignally called the Special Daiquiri) was tweaked to add more info on possible ancestor recipes. But nobody really knows the difference between the Mona Daiquiri, Don’s Special Daiquiri and Don’s Reserve Rum Daiquiri. If you have any info on the latter, please let us know.
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/05/02/mai-kai-cocktail-review-this-daiquiri-is-special-in-more-ways-than-one/

The Cobra's Kiss was again updated with fascinating new info on fassionola.
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2011/11/20/mai-kai-cocktail-review-cobra-kiss-is-an-exotic-taste-explosion-guaranteed-to-strike-your-fancy/

This topic never seems to die. There was an article in Eater that seems to indicate bartenders across the country (several in Texas were interviewed) are embracing the ingredient, making their own versions.
http://www.eater.com/drinks/2015/9/3/9253267/fassionola-tiki-syrup

Then, most interestingly, the eBay seller of the Jonathan English brand fassionola (which I use in the Cobra's Kiss and other vintage cocktails) chimed in with quite a bit of background info on the brand and the quality of the product. All good to know. There's also some discussion over on the fassionola thread:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=5331&forum=10&start=105

The updated tribute to the S.O.S.

Then, back to the Hamilton rum updates. First up was the S.O.S., which I revamped back in the spring and is now ready for public consumption. Just a side note to let folks know why it sometimes takes me so long to post these updates. Beyond the actual logistical issues of my job and other blog updates that eat up most of my time, I try to perfect every drink recipe before posting, sometimes to an obsessive degree.

I must have had the S.O.S. a dozen times at The Mai-Kai and made it another five or six times at home before I was happy with the simple changes you'll find here:
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/01/29/mai-kai-cocktail-review-patriotism-never-tasted-this-good/#tribute

Closely related to the S.O.S. in its use of Hamilton 86 rum and The Mai-Kai's tasty orange juice is the Sidewinder's Fang, the monstrous drink for two ...

This photo gives you an idea of how large the Sidewinder's Fang really is. The Rum Barrel is no slouch, a strong drink featuring 4 ounces of rum.

Three new photos were added, along with info on the addition of Hamilton rum. I attempted a tribute, but I kept coming back to the recipe from Grog Log. The Mai-Kai's version seems to be almost identical, but it makes a big difference which particular ingredients are used. I figured out that gold Jamaican rum works much better than dark, and that The Mai-Kai's rich passion fruit syrup and OJ were the key.

After a lot of trial and error, I settled on the Monin brand of syrup, which I've noted The Mai-Kai using in some drinks. It's undoubtedly super sweet, which may not work in all drinks but fits perfectly here. Finally, the orange juice puzzle was solved when I stumbled upon a special blend of juices from the Indian River Select brand, which specializes in 100 percent Florida premium juices. The orange-Honeybell blend is even bolder and sweeter than the Valencia orange juice that I had been using, and there's no bitterness you sometimes get in bottled juices. Check out more details in the recipe notes:
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/05/10/mai-kai-cocktail-review-bring-a-friend-and-sink-your-teeth-into-the-classic-sidewinders-fang/#ancestor

Use these ingredients in the Sidewinder's Fang and it will taste very close to what you'll get at The Mai-Kai.

COMING SOON: There are two more recipes that need to be updated with Hamilton rum. You can find all the updates here:
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/05/08/rums-of-the-mai-kai-legendary-lemon-hart-returns-to-the-promised-land/

But just when I thought I was close to getting all the recipes as accurate as they could be, another bombshell recently dropped. Stay tuned for big news on a secret ingredient that will affect as many as a dozen recipes, including many of the Hamliton rum drinks I've just updated. I've been forced back to the drawing board (or, more accurately, the Atomic Grog bar) to revamp many recipes. Making the tribute cocktails 100% accurate is not always my goal. If the taste is in the ballpark, I'm happy. But this is one instance where the backstory and historical significance of this ingredient makes it necessary to make updates and adjustments.

Hang on, there's lots more to come.