Kilauea Kup

It felt good to break out the tiki mugs again last weekend. I especially enjoy trying new rums like Vitae Barrel-Aged. This rum is really flavorful and oaky, owing to its aging in cabernet franc and ex-bourbon barrels.

The cocktail itself is simpler than many tikis, taking several shortcuts like Rose's lime cordial and coconut rum where those are no longer necessary. It also calls for creme de banane where I get away with the drier and more real-tasting MurLarkey banana whiskey. I can't imagine how sweet this drink would be with all of that pineapple juice if I didn't substitute out the sugary syrups and cordials. Still, there's something fun about having a sweet tiki cocktail once in a while. It really shows that you have very few cares, not the least being what's in your drink.

I've updated the recipe with my changes (improvements?) in parentheses.

• 1 1/2 oz. gold rum (Vitae barrel-aged used)
• 1/2 oz. creme de banane (3/4 oz. MurLarkey banana whiskey used)
• 4 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 tsp. coconut rum (1 tsp. cream of coconut used)
• orange slice and cherry for garnishes

Combine all ingredients except garnishes in a shaker with cracked ice. Shake and pour into an chilled Collins glass (or a fun tiki mug as shown). Garnish away with fruit on hand.

Gimlet

Still a popular cocktail after decades of heyday, the Gimlet is still going strong. Even my parents said they used to use new fallen snow to make gin Gimlets. Not sure that I would do the same with snow these days, but this simple cocktail still stands, especially considering how many I make a night in one of DC's best bars. It is still a thing, apparently.

So the original recipe from the New York Bartender's Guide calls for 3 oz. gin and 1 oz. Rose's lime juice. Not fresh juice. And I know why This is a safeguard, a cordial that every bar must have. It is sweetened and lasts at least a year (mine gave out completely after 4 years, but who's counting) and is perfectly fine if you are operating a mid-90's bar. But if you are with the times, you have to have fresh lime juice. So my revised recipe is as follows.

• 3 oz, gin (Bombay Sapphire used)
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. simple syrup
•  lime slice

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime slice.