Mahiki's Finest

Cognac cask rum is the most mature (in every sense of the word) offering in the Mahiki rum range.  It’s a double maturation rum, making it stand out from its peer group straight away.  The first three years of its life it resides in American oak – ex bourbon cask, just like so many rums, but then just when it’s already pretty good – its relocated for a further three years into ex Cognac casks of French Limousine oak which infuses the rum with a rich complexity.

It’s Tuesday night, Pauline and I have finished work sharp and we are heading into London for a rum event.  This one’s listed as a press launch of Mahiki’s finest expression of the rum family – a Cognac Cask aged rum.  The event is being held on the 5th floor of Harvey Nichols at the Mahiki Rum Winter Terrace.

It’s been ages since we’ve been to Harvey Nic’s and there will be no time for shopping thanks to lousy traffic on the way.  In fact we turn up about an hour later than the 6.30pm planned start.  The venue is pretty busy when we arrive – and I get a quick pang of nerves – I’ve chosen to honour the Tiki vibe of Mahiki by wearing my red Tiki shirt and there is no one else in sight that’s dressed in a similar vein.  Is this going to go wrong before it starts?

Another cocktail competition to bring to the attention of rum fans - only this time its not for the Brits!  I know that this blog is aimed at bigging up the UK rum scene, but approximately a third of the readers to this site are from across the pond and so it's not unreasonable I think.  I have another reason as well - the competition is being run by a friend of TheFloatingRumShack.com - Paul Imbesi, the Barritt's Ginger Beer Brand Manager for North American Beverage Co.  Pauline and I met Paul at a party last year and we've stayed in contact, when he told me about the competition I really wanted to help out by spreading the word.

Skipper Rum

The first Rum Club of the New Year at Trailer Happiness brings Skipper Rum to the attention of an eager audience.  In fact this is the first rum club since October last year and so there is definitely a buzz of anticipation about the place.

Show Off Your Darker Side...

I'm pretty pleased to share this link with the world because its probably the first cocktail competition in the UK (that I've seen) that features two of the finest rum brands out there.  Both deserve a 'whoop-whoop' and a more prominent position in bars across the land, so I'm going to do all I can to spread the word.  The rums in question are Diplomático and XM, both are fantastic and should surely feature in any collection.  They certainly do in our house, but unfortunately they never seem to last long...

Ssshhh!  Don’t tell the wife, but there was more than one focus for my love on our last holiday...

“Where did my paramour reside” I hear you ask?  The fair island of Jamaica of course!  And “What was my lover’s name” you counter?  Appleton - lovely Appleton I reply: sweet, forgiving, honest and true. [Sigh!]

Too be honest – I’m not sure that my lover even knew my name – a beautiful object of desire for so many and truth be told, I think Pauline was smitten as well and who could blame her really?