Trader Sam's - Orlando

They pretty much aren't, they won't be turned away if they show up, but WDW is generally considered a destination vacation resort, where people are staying and visiting for multiple days rather than making quick day trips. DLR on the other hand has a heavy local population that will come to visit.

The new guest bands that they have been advertising may restrict access even more. No band - No service??

What guest bands? At the Polynesian?

They mean the magicbands, and they won't be doing that because there is money to be made.

I think it might be a bit late for that meetup at the Poly Falls… walls went up at the fountain, today. :(

Thanks for letting us know. That's a bummer. Now I understand why there were walls on the 2nd story balcony - it was already starting to happen.

The pool area is probably still going to remain visible for a while. Last chance to take photos of the volcano slide.

One thing I noticed when walking around the pool area. With the construction of the stilt houses, the waterfront is getting cluttered. Views of the lake, with the stilt houses so prominent, now blend in with the Grand Floridian and obstruct the open views across the lake. Who is designing these things and putting money and "glamor" ahead of the nice views envisioned and carefully built by the original designers? The waterfront is falling victim to overzealous development I'm afraid. I'm concerned about what additional Disney Vacation Club projects will do to the Poly. Disney is building their own version of overbuilt Waikiki it seems.

On 2014-05-21 13:55, wizzard419 wrote:
They mean the magicbands, and they won't be doing that because there is money to be made.

It took me until now to understand that you both were referring to the new RFID wristbands they've started using for guests.

On 2014-05-21 18:46, AceExplorer wrote:
Thanks for letting us know. That's a bummer. Now I understand why there were walls on the 2nd story balcony - it was already starting to happen.

The pool area is probably still going to remain visible for a while. Last chance to take photos of the volcano slide.

One thing I noticed when walking around the pool area. With the construction of the stilt houses, the waterfront is getting cluttered. Views of the lake, with the stilt houses so prominent, now blend in with the Grand Floridian and obstruct the open views across the lake. Who is designing these things and putting money and "glamor" ahead of the nice views envisioned and carefully built by the original designers? The waterfront is falling victim to overzealous development I'm afraid. I'm concerned about what additional Disney Vacation Club projects will do to the Poly. Disney is building their own version of overbuilt Waikiki it seems.

Yeppp. You nailed it. The Poly/Seven Seas Lagoon vista used to be really simple. Spires of Cinderella Castle in the background, islands, sand, water, and some great igneous rock formations. Maybe the Contemporary looming in the distance.

Now? Grand Floridian (how I dislike that hotel! Oy!) the bungalows, the new pool, the new Contempo Tower, and large Volcano Pool.

I'm really hoping that the new pool is of a subtler design… and that the bungalows, at least, maybe block out some of the other stuff. Sigh.

Once again I'd point out to remember that Sam's is, and intended to be, a hotel bar first. This is why it is not going to Disney Springs, besides the horrible abuse the place would take from a giant mass of traffic, countless Brazilian tourist groups, and the like. The accessibility will likely reflect that. There are certainly ways to get to the Poly w/o staying there of course, but I can't speak as to the ease of access if you just wanted to dine there, etc.

It really will be a blessing to us that Sam's will not be on the main tourist drag. Those who really want to go to Sam's will find a way. I'm looking forward to some of the quieter times there with a friend and having drinks and appys in the same way that we can do now at the Tambu Lounge.

It might still be on the drag since that Ohana dinner show is another popular thing on the property that draws in people from outside the resort. As long as the path between the monorail and dining hall don't cross the bar it should be a little less crazy.

Good point, I think you're at least partly right because I think the Poly is still not "main drag" like Disney Springs will be. The Poly is, however, accessible via the Resort monorail line. I will still hope Sam's to be less swamped than it otherwise would be at Disney Springs where there will be throngs once it opens. Maybe someone will open a cool themed bar in the old Adventurers Club space which seems to be well-suited to that sort of use. There is no doubt about it that there will finally be a lot of new eye candy at Walt Disney World over the next few years.

The resorts are increasingly popular with locals… parking at the Poly itself might be tight, but with the GrandFlo and TTC nearby, I can't see too much of an issue.

Throw in that they would have to pay to park at everywhere but DtD, and that will keep everyone without an AP away.

The one thing with this is that they most likely want people to come in, you don't sink a fuck-ton into redeveloping an area (in addition to acquiring more liquor licenses) so that it only serves a single hotel. It will probably be promoted on the app, on SoCom, etc.

But they are ramping up investment in their Disney Vacation Club rooms because they are making so much money with their timeshare business. We've already heard they are removing the waterfall in the lobby so that they have more room to handle more guest traffic. Sam's is being built in advance of higher occupancy which is expected to follow the publicity from refreshing the resort and attracting more DVC guests. The Polynesian has been fairly quiet for many years, and it appears that is going to change with all the updates and improvements.

I doubt that it was purely for traffic (though I thought someone posted the space was going to be converted into something else), considering how much activity takes place at the airport, the lobby has now become the place where you find out what room you go to.

There were probably other reasons, such as looking heavily dated, possible infrastructure issues, etc.

Oh absolutely, it is heavily dated-looking and definitely needs a refresh. I think it's going to end up looking a lot less dark as well, I seem to recall conceptual drawings looking much brighter. I hope they keep all the wood carvings at the corners, entrances to shops and restaurants, etc. It is a neat place to walk through and hang out at.

That's one of the things about the Disney hotels, as inviting as they make them, they really don't want you hanging out there for too long. If you're just chillin' in the lobby doing nothing you're not spending anything nor are you burning through energy as fast hastening the time when you will need to refuel. :D

Good thought. But I am reminded of the tremendous level of detail they build into their lobbies. Look at Grand Californian, Wilderness Lodge, and Animal Kingdom Lodge as some examples of lobbies where they put such richness and depth into the designs that you can't help but spend some time there relaxing and/or looking around. Often what breaks visitors free from spending too much time in those lobby environments is the fact that they're paying $400 a night to visit - egad! - the theme park or other attraction that's next door. Or, here in Florida, with the collapse of Pleasure Island 5 or 6 years ago, on-property nightlife options are so slim that you just might not mind hanging out in the hotel lobby. Even more so during Christmas when they bring in special musical entertainment to play live Christmas caroles.

I do get your point, it's a good one. I am looking forward to a nice and splashy immersive Polynesian-themed environment for the Polynesian in the near future.

Yes, and those lobbies were all built before 2005 (CA resorts don't really count for this though). Back when check in processes were longer, they had to print up your media, etc. Now that they have the Disney's Magical Express service, plus magic bands, your room keys are sent to you months in advance, everything is laid out so far ahead that your entire interaction with the front desk is only a few mins. so they can tell you where your room is, answer questions, and link a credit card to your band so they can save on swipe fees.

They most likely won't be cutting corners on lobby design for future hotels, as it is their first impression, but they also know the activity level in them will remain low.

I remember going, before they had such a system, and it took forever to get checked in even though we were the only people checking in (one perk of flying out of OC to Orlando, you miss all crowds but you only have one flight option). Afterwards, the longest part of the process was simply waiting for the shuttle to pick us up from the airport.

But they put shops, restaurants, and bars into those lobbies as well as offering grand photo opportunities. While you're right about the check in processes improving over the years, I think you're not giving the rest of the lobby aesthetics and functions enough credit.

For example, at the Poly this weekend, I heard one guest gushing about how much they loved sitting down and enjoying fresh Kona coffee in the restaurants and lobby. At the Grand Floridian they build huge gingerbread structures at Christmas where people hang out and browse for quite a while.

The Disney lobbies are good examples of mixed-use common areas which, if it wasn't for the competition from the theme parks and the swimming pools and the water parks, we would see much more use of the lobbies during the day. Breakfast and dinner times are known to be very busy there and will be even more so if DVC expansion grows the average daily guest census.

I'm not sure how on-target I am with what they're actually going to do, but it wouldn't surprise me to see walls and ceilings pushed out for expansions needed to support higher guest counts. Bigger restaurants, shops and bars would be needed. It's gonna be a lot of fun to watch what happens! :)

When they were built, they most likely had way more usage, but now they actively encourage you to get out of your rooms ASAP and stay out as late as possible through things like EMH, DTD, etc. Even if the park isn't open to anyone yet, people still go and get breakfast in the parks at the character dining locations or the starbucks. You will still have outliers who will use the lobby rather than consider it an odd-shaped hallway with a lot of chairs in it, but they will always be on the fringes. They are probably the same type of people that have people-watching locations (a sign you have gone too many times when you no longer care about the primary service the parks offer :D).

The "reasons" for the waterfalls getting the axe revolve around that it costs a lot to maintain and that the water source comes from outside, leading to bacteria and humidity.

Valid reasons, but for a company as big and as ingenious was Disney, there's really no excuse for saying that's the reason for killing off some WDW history.

The fountain was the last piece of the lobby that would have been considered dated, IMO. If anything, the rest of the place could go, and that would remain.

Folks, I suggest we take the Polynesian Resort-specific stuff over to the thread devoted to that subject started by Keniki in "Locating Tiki" back in 2003. The conversation about the current changes is already in progress, and the URL is provided below. This thread is intended to be more for discussion of "Trader Sam's - Orlando" and less for general discussion of the upcoming resort remodel. I know the topics are related, but I think we've gotten ourselves off-topic for this "Trader Sam's" thread.

Disney's Polynesian Resort, Walt Disney World:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=5863&forum=2&

Thanks, and cheers!

Here are some Memorial Day 2014 pre-demolition/pre-remodel photos of what is believed to become the new Trader Sam's Grog Grotto. This is excerpted from my post over in "Locating Tiki" about the general remodel at the Polynesian Resort. The link is:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=5863&forum=2&vpost=718625

Cheers!

==========================

This is the rumored location of Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto – a large space has been made available directly underneath Ohana. The next few pictures will attempt to show how much space is being devoted to this new attraction.

The space appears like it would be quite large. Enough room for a bar and dining?

Corner view, by the restrooms and the staircase leading up to Ohana.

View towards the rear door of the lobby.

Some of the wall detail which is very likely going to be removed. This would look good in any home tiki bar!

Just outside the rear doors of the Grand Ceremonial House, you can see the back side of the downstairs area which is rumored to become Trader Sam’s downstairs. Note that Ohana occupies the upper level here.

I speculate that "Trader Sam's Grog Grotto" could be a working title; it just doesn't seem to roll off the tongue very well. Disney is known for clever naming, and both "grog" and "grotto" do not strike me as very practical things to tag onto the legacy "Trader Sam's" moniker. How few people in the general population are familiar with what "grog" is? We'll have to see how this plays out. If I'm wrong, then everyone should buy me a drink to console me. If I'm right, then everyone should buy me a drink to celebrate. Yeah, I like that idea...

On 2014-05-30 07:12, AceExplorer wrote:
I speculate that "Trader Sam's Grog Grotto" could be a working title; it just doesn't seem to roll off the tongue very well.

Its not, though I agree. With "Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar," you know its a tiki bar. There's a bit more mystery with "Grog Grotto," because I don't hear anybody ever saying "I'm at a grotto" though it also supports the apparent nautical feel the new joint will take.

It most likely will be a "Bar and Grill" style place rather than just a straight up bar. Aside from getting a liquor license for one that serves food is apparently easier than one that doesn't, they also would be less able to make money since people will stay longer, order more rounds, food, etc.

That's good info. The whole increase in resort traffic from DVC, and having to ratchet up the whole resort as a direct result, should bring many good things. Disney will be required to provide great visual impact as well as ensuring that everyone will have a rockin' good time.

I'm curious to see to what degree Sam's will also be an eatery. They may need to use that space from morning until night for dining. It will be interesting to see how it all turns out.

If any Imagineers are reading this (many are known to be fans of tiki) please consider cleverly integrating a small "TC" somewhere in Sam's as a small tip of the hat to all of us TC'ers here. Heh...

Everyone's gonna call it Trader Sam's. Grog Grotto will differentiate it from the California original.

(Which, yes, does have the better subtitle.)

Trader Sam's will share space (and the kitchen) with Captain Cook's, so we'll have a much better understanding of the size and scope of the Grog Grotto (sorry, I like that name for some reason) when the quick-service restaurant moves back (tentatively scheduled for August).

That gives them another six months (according to the dates I'm hearing) to get the bar up and running, but it will be hard to hide what's going on right next door. There's also a Dole Whip stand being added somewhere, most likely a counter that will face into the lobby and/or pool deck. No ETA on when that will be done. But I would think it would be done in conjunction with Captain Cook's.

This all sounds like a logistical nightmare, considering that at the same time the lobby will be totally revamped, and it's possible some of the second-floor restaurants will be refurbished as well. My understanding is that there's a push to get the DVC additions completed by the end of 2014 so they can have guests in rooms by next summer.

Also, for what it's worth, the new water features planned for the exterior are intended to make everyone forget about the old waterfall. I've heard they may be pretty amazing.

Hayward, thanks, those are interesting insights into Sam's. I have often thought they would likely consider taking features of Sam's in Anaheim and customize it to fit the specific needs of the Orlando property. Both would share many features and concepts, but also both would be unique in their own ways. The addition of food is nice. We may even see some of Sam's libations available to order at the pool and to walk up customers at whatever pool bar they may build. No matter what they end up doing, I'm sure it will be grand, splashy, and fun. And, while I'm at it this morning, many Imagineers and guests are fans of the old Adventurer's Club and will be looking forward to more re-purposed material from that former venue to appear in Sam's.

It's also interesting to note that the Orlando venue will be "Sams v2" and as such could be better or worse than the experience in Anaheim. In Orlando we expect a more spacious venue, but because of all the DVC demands, also expect some compromises - or innovations. Disney's track record of planning, and then often mercilessly cutting budgets, could result in a comparatively subdued version of the Anaheim experience. I hope that's not the case, but it is within the realm of what could be expected. I remain optimistic because there is so much interest and appreciation for tiki within Imagineering.

With regard to the water feature(s) I think that they MUST build either a whiz-bang pool area, or a new whiz-bang water feature, or both. The trend to build extravagantly-detailed pool areas began at least 15 years ago with Marriott and other big hotel chains. Disney is WAY behind the times in this regard at the Polynesian. Even the pool areas at the newer Disney resorts don't compare, in scope and visual impact, to what other chains have been doing. For example, when at the Hukilau, check out the stunning pool area at the waterfront Marriott in Fort Lauderdale next to the Best Western. That's a pool area, with waterfront bar and dining, done VERY well. We may end up seeing a much larger pool area which may extend very close to Sam's and allow for some nice integration between Sam's, Capt. Cook's, and the pool along with more unique Orlando-only plastic mugs and drinkware for safety reasons due to proximity to the pool.

Also, have you observed a trend on property to stop referring to "Dole Whip" and start calling it "pineapple soft serve?" I was surprised at the Flower and Garden Festival to see them serving "pineapple soft serve" instead of "Dole Whip." I suspected there was something behind that. But it could have been that because one of the options was to pair it with Capt. Morgan's Parrot Bay that may have prevented them from using the Dole name in conjunction with Parrot Bay. So it may be nothing, just some marketing and licensing issue they had to address at that event. I'm curious to see if Dole Whip appears on the menu at Sam's since it appears that they will be catering, to some degree, to a mixed-age audience earlier in the day. I can see a "volcano" of sorts being served to kids with Dole Whip and grenadine or cherry syrup. Maybe with nuts or mini-marshmallows as "lava rocks" or something. (Disney, please PM me and I'll tell you where to send the royalty checks, heh...)

Much in the same way that Walt Disney World differs from Disneyland, I expect that Grog Grotto will differ from Trader Sam's.

Disneyland is all about intimate, scaled, organic, experiences. The place is tiny and has grown and matured in on itself. Sam's pretty much encapsulates that. Walt Disney World is massive, sprawling, and grand. The Florida property has matured, too, but it does so in a way that extends the place out- it feels limitless as points. I suspect that Grog Grotto will do this, too. The building might be enlarged, and I expect that the outdoor portion will be much larger than the interior room(s). And yes, I'd expect multiple rooms at this point.

Excited to hear about those new waterfalls, Hayward. Are we talking about the waterfalls right outside the entry to the lobby or the new ones what will accompany the new marquee?

You mean "simulated organic", which they also use at all parks. Every experience, action, etc. you encounter in the park was planned, then they try to hide the structure as much as possible. People don't just happen to wander into an area, they are herded like cattle.

On 2014-06-01 10:17, wizzard419 wrote:
You mean "simulated organic", which they also use at all parks. Every experience, action, etc. you encounter in the park was planned, then they try to hide the structure as much as possible. People don't just happen to wander into an area, they are herded like cattle.

Of course. What I'm referring to is more of the difference in how Disneyland and WDW presents areas. DL meanders and has alcoves and areas where things just have to transition rapidly from theme to theme. Like how Adventureland, Frontierland, and New Orleans Square all come together at one point on the River Belle Terrace.

WDW, by comparison has the room to space things out. Things bleed into one another here and there, but, for the most part, the lands have stratified borders.

I could see Sam's and Grog Grotto operating under the same pretenses.

@AceExplorer: I have a reliable source who tell me that the same Imagineer who was in charge of designing Trader Sam's at Disneyland is in charge of the Grog Grotto. So I would imagine that the quality of design will be the same, if not better, than Anaheim. I would also imagine that with the size and scope of the entire Poly refurb, simply doing a "Sams v2" would not be acceptable. Based on all that, I have my hopes pretty high, at least for the design and decor. The food and drinks will be a separate issue. But again, I think WDW is setting the bar high considering the importance of the DVC project.

@EPCOTExplorer: As it's been described to me, the new water feature will greet guests outside the front entrance, so I'd expect it to be incorporated into the new marquee. An outdoor water feature will undoubtedly be much easier to manage than one that runs through the lobby. Another issue with the current lobby is the old skylights will need to be replaced with modern panels that limit UV coming into the building. Apparently, the plants that are there now would die without some special lighting system to support their growth. Not that this couldn't be accomplished, but this is probably one more reason, along with maintenance issues with the waterfall, that led to the decision to just remove the whole thing.

Tikiman just posted a new news update that adds more details to what we've heard about the plans, including lots of tentative dates:
http://www.tikimanpages.com/poly/news/item/209-june-report

Regarding the pool, I would expect it to be "whiz-bang" and brought up to the standards of the other luxury resorts, but that will also mean that it will be off limits to non-guests. Tikiman also says that this restricted area will include the adjacent beach area as well. This entire area will be gated off to anyone who doesn't have a magic band that shows them as a Polynesian guest.

However, there will be public areas as well. Exiting the GCH, there will be a new common area that will be used for the torch lighting, hula lessons, movies and a camp fire. According to Tikiman, the pool bar will have access to people outside the gate on one side, but the rest of the bar will be inside the gate that you will need a room key to access. I would expect all of Trader Sam's to be in a public area, including the patio that overlooks the pool.

There's also a plan to add a pool bar to the smaller pool over by the DVC units. I'm unsure if this will be gated like the main pool. The grounds are so extensive and meandering, I'm not quite sure they'll be able to put gates everywhere. I would expect the traditional pathway to the TTC to remain public for folks walking to the restaurants, and Trader Sam's.

Of course, this is all subject to change, so we'll have to wait and see how it all works out.

The official blog of The Hukilau

Featuring The Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2014-06-03 00:39 ]

Thanks, Hayward, that's very good additional commentary. I haven't read Tikiman's page in a long time, and it was very refreshing this morning to see that he is also very upbeat and optimistic. I think we all have high expectations and are looking forward to the expansion, the upgrades, and the changes. My only regret is that the nightly room rates are so high at the Polynesian - I have never been willing to shell out the big bucks to stay there. This will, unfortunately, continue to be a problem for me because I foresee my Trader Sam's bar tabs competing for my dollars, heh!

On 2014-06-03 00:39, Hurricane Hayward wrote:

@EPCOTExplorer: As it's been described to me, the new water feature will greet guests outside the front entrance, so I'd expect it to be incorporated into the new marquee. An outdoor water feature will undoubtedly be much easier to manage than one that runs through the lobby. Another issue with the current lobby is the old skylights will need to be replaced with modern panels that limit UV coming into the building. Apparently, the plants that are there now would die without some special lighting system to support their growth. Not that this couldn't be accomplished, but this is probably one more reason, along with maintenance issues with the waterfall, that led to the decision to just remove the whole thing.

Now THIS is exciting. I'm happy that the waterfalls won't be totally gone in some form. That sort of vibe is vital. Thanks for this!

Both times I visited in the last month they had a construction wall up at the front portico entrance underneath the monorail station. Could be the beginning of a new water feature. The entrance has always been pretty ho-hum, so I'm looking forward to what they are going to do.

On 2014-06-03 18:15, AceExplorer wrote:
Both times I visited in the last month they had a construction wall up at the front portico entrance underneath the monorail station. Could be the beginning of a new water feature. The entrance has always been pretty ho-hum, so I'm looking forward to what they are going to do.

I have ALWAYS felt that the monorail station looked pretty terrible… it's just wooden bars and has no artistic statement to it. Hope you're right and that this fixes it.

I forgot to reply to AceExplorer re the Dole Whip vs. "pineapple soft serve" question. My guess is that unless Dole is actually sponsoring the kiosk, like they do at Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, it's simply a business decision by WDW to leave "Dole" out of the name. Also, I believe that the Epcot kiosks (at Food & Wine and Flower & Garden) serve only the pineapple soft serve (with and without rum) and not the additional menu items you can get at Aloha Isle (vanilla and orange swirls, plus the floats with pineapple juice). It might be in Dole's contract that their name appears only when the juice is served.

More importantly, the popularity of these pineapple soft serves with rum has led to their appearance on the menu at Tamu Tamu in Animal Kingdom:
http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2014/05/23/news-dole-whip-arriving-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/
Same menu items as Epcot: The virgin pineapple soft serve, or with an added shot (probably more like 1/2 ounce) of either coconut or dark rum. Looks like they use and Parrot Bay (ugh) and Myers's.
http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/pineapple-promenade-2014-epcot-flower-and-garden-festival/

So the question remains: What will be served at the Pineapple Lanai kiosk at the newly redesigned Polynesian? My hope is for a full-blown location that offers everything you can get at Aloha Isle, plus a choice of various rums to be added. Perhaps someone should introduce Disney to Koloa Rum from Hawaii. The best flavored rums on the market, hands down.

Thanks, Hayward, I don't get to the other parks as often as Epcot. I love Dole Whip, except for the calories, heh. And you're right about Parrot Bay.

The best place I ever had Dole Whip was at the Dole Plantation on Oahu. Will have to post a pic of how they serve it over there - it puts Disney to shame - in a hollowed out pineapple half, but the hollowed out material is cubed and returned to the pineapple shell and then the Dole Whip goes on top in THREE towers. Pure pineapple heaven.

See you next week at the Hukilau!

^^^ That sounds wonderful.

And I would expect Dole to return to Poly. They always had their name on the old sign.

I'm not sure it is so much a contract where Dole is saying 'you can only call it DW if juice is served' so much as 'Dole didn't pay for a spot in the food and wine festival so they get no brand recognition". Since you don't need a contract to buy the mix, as opposed to products like Coke, where they are heavily concerned with brand management, it probably just came down to that.

Might also be weird to see "Dole Whip with [whatever brand they use] Rum" so many trademarks it would make the signs look awful.

Dole probably doesn't want to be associated with yucky Parrot Bay, hahahaha...

On 2014-06-07 21:49, AceExplorer wrote:
Dole probably doesn't want to be associated with yucky Parrot Bay, hahahaha...

This. Who would?! hahahah

Well they do both love money... though linking one's product to another that sponsors Rush Limbaugh might be enough of a turn-off to keep them apart.

On 2014-06-07 21:32, wizzard419 wrote:
I'm not sure it is so much a contract where Dole is saying 'you can only call it DW if juice is served' so much as 'Dole didn't pay for a spot in the food and wine festival so they get no brand recognition". Since you don't need a contract to buy the mix, as opposed to products like Coke, where they are heavily concerned with brand management, it probably just came down to that.

Might also be weird to see "Dole Whip with [whatever brand they use] Rum" so many trademarks it would make the signs look awful.

Yeah, I'm guessing it's something like that. No money, no brand placement. I would expect Dole to have more interest in a permanent location at the Poly though. I love those floats, so I'm hoping we get the full monty.

OK, this is straying a little bit off topic, but the best place to get rum-topped ice cream at WDW is actually over at L’Artisan des Glaces in France at Epcot. They call it an ice-cream "martini," but it's just a big glass of ice cream doused with a hefty shot of booze. You can mix and match ice cream flavors with top-shelf liquors. Grand Marnier was tempting, but I had to go with Rhum Clement V.S.O.P. from Martinique, an excellent agricole rum. I had them pour it over a mix of white chocolate ice cream and pineapple sorbet. Pretty darned tasty:

Now, back to those Trader Sam's rumors ...