Sunday the 8th of May saw the opening of a Tiki exhibition at the Kustom Lane Gallery in Hawthorn and I had got word about some rum and tiki thing happening at the show. I was sold after rum was mentioned and I've been known to even brave the weather for a dram... but wait a second, what does an art show have anything to do with rum?!
Usually nothing and in most cases you're likely to be served sparkling or Champagne but in this instance Appleton Estate had sponsored the event, and considering their history and close ties to all things Tiki I thought it was a great idea.
When you first step inside the Black Pearl you immediately feel right at home, drawn in by the warm, relaxed interior design and welcomed by the friendly staff member behind the bar. I waste no time and walk straight to the bar to order a drink. While waiting, I notice a few familiar faces from the Melbourne bar scene as well as international visitors.
Most unexpectedly I bumped into a friend I’d made at the Rum Fest in London last year. It was one of those surprising ‘hey, I know you!’ moments. The word of the evening’s special event we had arrived for, had definitely been passed around.
I wasn't sure what to expect from the April 10 Cane Rum Club when I received the invitation that read I would be guaranteed to regret if I missed out on the session and sure enough I found myself making my way to the Golden Monkey after work on a Monday night, not that I needed much convincing in the first place.
It's always a mad rush to get in time to the Rum Club straight after work but if I can't do it, then someone else is going to drink my complimentary cocktail and we damn well can't have that now can we? Besides, what kind of a person would refuse a free drink and samples of some pretty good Bermudan hooch?
Ever faced a problem when you couldn't decide between two or more whiskies to buy and when the only thing stopping you from buying both is the price?
I bet it happens to you all the time, unless of course you're some kind of wealthy person, in which case you can stop reading this review now. Go ahead and sip your expensive spirits in your mahogany floored library full of leather bound first editions and a magnificent fireplace glowing in the background.
Years of exploiting Ron's name are finally over - now there finally is a rum with his name on the label!
Ron de Jeremy, undoubtedly one of the most controversially marketed and thought provoking spirits we've so far seen, will finally be made naked to the world's glaring eyes, when it is first released in the United States with global online sales made available in the near future.
Before its launch, Ron de Jeremy has erupted quite the fizz within the online communities, causing people to be two minds about it - some endorsing it and some thinking it will forever tarnish the name of "Don Pancho," the Master Blender behind the rum.
The Melbourne Rum Club got off to a flying start in 2011, with over 35 members in attendance at the Golden Monkey bar in Melbourne’s CBD. The Club meets on the first Monday of every month to enjoy and learn about rum and cocktails.
Sponsored by Brown Forman and Appleton Estate Rum, the night marked the first gathering of the club since November's end of the year “Shipwrecked” party. Snacks as well as a free drink were offered to all Rum Club members, this time in a complimentary Appleton Estate tiki mug!
To kick off the annual Sydney BarShow Week, the Puerto Rican rum giant Bacardí hosted the official launch party for the BarShow at the Marble Bar in Sydney in the spirit of the early 1900s.
The event also marked the 100th Anniversary of the legendary cocktail, the Daiquiri.
The invite only event was due to kick off on Sunday evening; when I arrived people were already queued up waiting to enter the bar, most of them wearing fashionable and glamorous 1920s-1950s attire as suggested by the dress code.
There is no limit when it comes to setting prices for the rarest whiskies in the world, which included the Macallan 1926 that was auctioned for US$54,000 in 2007, which at the time was the most expensive whisky in the world.
Then along came Dalmore who sold a 62 year old whisky for over £25,000, another one later at £32,000 and now they have done it again after releasing a single malt whisky for a cool £100,000.
Only three bottles of the 64 year old Dalmore Trinitas were ever produced, two of which have already been acquired by a gentleman based in the US and by a UK based entrepreneur.