Post #771662 by arbeck on Mon, Jan 2, 2017 4:37 PM

I'm not new to making cocktails at home, though I am new to making Tiki drinks. My wife has always been big into Tiki drinks/bars and for Christmas I ordered her both the Smugglers Cove book and Beachbum Berry Remixed (though this one is on backorder and has not arrived). I had a pretty well stocked bar (both liquor and mixers), but I added a few extra rums and make a few of the syrups (honey, vanilla, etc). I do enjoy sipping rum, so most of what I had was stuff I liked to sip. I was a little thrown off by the way the Smugglers Cove book categorizes their rums, but I only had to buy a couple to fill all the holes but one or two. Here's what I've got:

Pot Still Lightly Aged
Smith and Cross (just purchased)

Blended Lightly Aged
Denizen (this is unopened but saw it on sale and was a fan of the 8)
El Dorado 3 (I used this as "silver" rum previously)

Blended Aged
Denizen 8 (had in a rum flight and bought as a sipper)
Doorly XO (tasted at Total Wine and More and bought as a sipper)

Column Still Aged
Ron Abuelo 7 (had in a rum flight and bought as a sipper)
Bacardi 8 (this was my "gold" rum mixer)

Black Blended
Hamilton 86 (just purchased)
Pampero Anniversario (one of my favorite sippers)
Cruzan Blackstrap (Not sure it fits here, but I had it for making jungle birds)

Black Blended Overproof
Plantation Original Dark Overproof (not on the list, but I only have access to this and Lemon Hart)

Martinique Blanc
Bull Run Pacific Rum (this doesn't technically qualify, but it sure tastes like Agricole to me)

Martinique Vieux
I don't have any of these. I have access to Clement VSOP, Neisson Eleve Sous Bois, Rhum JM VSOP, and JM Rhum Gold. I have hesitated to buy any of these because of the cost (all over $60/bottle)

As to other alcohols I've got Campari, loads of Bourbon (my first love), Maraschino, Cointreau, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, Absinthe, Cheery Heering, Vodka, Gin, Pimms, Aperol, Cocchi Americano, Tequila, and various vermouths.

Are there any holes that need to be filled? Should I be buying a real white agricole, an aged agricole, the lemon hart, or something else? I know that I am also missing a black Jamaican Rum. I've got access to Meyer's (which makes me think of college in a bad way), Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still, and Blackwell.

Since I'm sure the Beachbum Berry remixed book is layed out with the rums organized more traditionally I want to make sure I'm equipped to make most anything when my wife gets the book and sees a drink and asks for it.