Post #761826 by ikitnrev on Fri, Apr 1, 2016 7:44 AM

I made a couple more visits to Archipelago, and after three visits total, have tried every tiki cocktail on the menu - there are currently 12 cocktails available.

My short verdict: These are some very good cocktails
Here are my 7 current favorites, listed in order from 'light' to 'heavy' Choose your entry point, and enjoy!

1. Pina Colada: I made the Pina Colada my first cocktail of one visit, not expecting it to be memorable - I was wrong. Served frozen, very refreshing, well balanced, and you get a sense of why this cocktail initially became so popular in the world.

2. Pineapple of Hospitality (serves 2): served in a real pineapple - and it is amazing, perhaps my favorite cocktail on the menu, from the very first sip to making the final straw sucking noises to get the last drops from the pineapple shell. Just give me an endless supply of these throughout the summer, and I'd be happy. What's in it? Rum and secrets. Its a secret formula from one of the owners. Even the bartender who made it for me didn't know what was used to make this.

3. Captain Cody - wonderful - no gimmicks, simply a well-balanced tiki cocktail

4. Mai Tai - excellent, well-balanced, with darker rums than the Captain Cody Word is the owners did many, many hours of experimentation, knowing that they had to get this one right, as they wanted to come up with their own unique version, and not just replicate what was already out there. They succeeded.

5. All Bets Are Off (serves 2-3) - served in a scorpion bowl, and serves 2-3. They made a single serving for me - it features several Ed Hamilton rums.

6. Truck Bed Funeral (mezcal) - made with mezcal, so its got that wonderful smoky essence, much like a good Islay Scotch

7. Slip and Fall - a strong coffee flavor. I've always liked the Black Magic from the Mai Kai, but this cocktail has a much 'thicker' coffe essence to it.

I do want to give a special note for the 'Oil Can Boyd' which kind of stands on its own as it features olive oil infused Black Strap rum. Its definitely a unique flavor and texture - I like it, and it may soon work its way onto my 7 favorites list.

I should add that all of the cocktails are very good, in their own way, and you really can't go wrong by trying any of the others, but the above are the ones I remember the most. I started my evening by stopping at another well respected venue, where I had a Mai Tai '44, and I can comfortably say that all of the cocktails at Archipelago are at least at that quality level.

One final word, the 'Chafed Paradigm' mentioned in a previous post is no longer available.

[ Edited by: ikitnrev 2016-04-01 07:47 ]