Rum, sugar, and lime. That’s all you need today. Rum, sugar, and lime. Today is National Daiquiri Day. Fuck yeah! If today was national Mai Tai day, your ingredient list would be much longer than three ingredients.

And while many people would quickly name the Mai Tai or the Piña Colada if asked to name a rum cocktail, the Daiquiri is perhaps the most iconic, if recently undervalued rum cocktail ever created. So where the Mai Tai or the Piña Colada might serve you well on a white sand beach in paradise, the Daiquiri provides a refreshing and classy drink suitable for almost all locations. And with uncountable potential for variation, the Daiquiri can adapt itself to the taste of any drinker, from world renowned author to raucous spring-breaker.

My favorite recommendations for Daiquiri info are three articles by Rum Dood:

• Daiquiri
• Daiquiri #2
• Hemingway Daiquiri

For those who want quicker reading about the Daiquiri I suggest these links:

1. Celebrate National Daiquiri Day July 19 via Rum Examiner
2. Daily TWiP – National Daiquiri Day via National Telegraph
3. A Brief and Incomplete History of the Daiquiri via Hubpages
4. History of Daiquiri via Square Meal
5. And for fun… The Real History of the Strawberry Daiquiri via Windy Meadow Farm

So read a little and mix your Daiquiri how you like it. Above all, enjoy your drinks.

1. ^[1] Pretty in Pink by Tim Lucas ↩

I was going to have a bigger post than this, but someone knocked over my motorcycle so I’ve been dealing with insurance stuff all morning. I will try to remedy the post situation later today.

In the meantime…

The Daiquiri is a cocktail that has been a socially acceptable rum drink for over a hundred years and has enough variations to rival the Martini. And in that time it’s come a long way. From humble origins in the small mining town of Daiquiri, Cuba; to the fame and glamour of being associated Hemingway; to the slushy, overproof, sobriety killer gulped down by the rowdy, half-naked college kids on Bourbon Street, New Orleans.

I was going to say something like “Get your shakers ready”, but then I’d be ostracizing a whole group of people. The Blenders.

And while some of the snooty among us look down our noses at the Blenders, you can’t deny that they make up a large percentage of the Daiquiri drinking public.

“Did Hemingway drink his cocktail blended?”, they cry. Maybe, I suppose it depends on who’s story you want to believe. And really, does it matter? Sit down, shut up, and enjoy your damn drink.

So, Blenders, this is your day too. Blend to your heart’s content as long as you remember to share and be nice.

1. ^[1] Image by Mike Fleming via WikiMedia Commons ↩

The Pegu Blog

Photo courtesy Photos8.com

The rest of this post is all the product info from the press release so behind the cut it goes!

Historic Rum Enters Spiced Rum Category With Cruzan 9

Cruzan 9’s Blend of Aged Rum Infused With Nine Spices Offers Consumers a Premium Option

DEERFIELD, IL–(Marketwire – July 12, 2010) –  Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. [Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO)], the leading American spirits company, and Cruzan® Rum, the legendary rum of St. Croix, today announced the newest addition to the Cruzan portfolio, a new spiced rum called Cruzan 9. With its unique blend of nine all natural spices, Cruzan 9 remains true to its heritage of premium craftsmanship, while confronting rum fans with a bolder, more dramatic spirit. The recipe is handcrafted by the Nelthropp family, who has been making rum on the island of St. Croix for generations. Made with Cruzan’s award-winning aged rum, the result is a higher quality — and more authentic — spiced rum. Cruzan 9 will begin shipping to distributors in July and available to consumers at retail in August.

“Beam Global Spirits & Wine has a reputation for developing higher quality brands that shake up a category,” said Amy Weisenbach, brand director, Cruzan Rum. “Spiced rum is one of the fastest growing distilled spirits, yet consumers didn’t really have an option if they were looking for higher quality. The industry is full of gimmicks and pirates when it comes to spiced rum, but Cruzan 9 offers a ‘real’ rum experience.”

Tasting Notes, Aroma and How to Enjoy Cruzan 9

• 80-proof Cruzan 9 has a bold and smooth taste and a rich amber color.
• Nine spice blend includes vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mace, allspice, pepper and juniper berry.
• Taste — involves complex layers of vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, warm spice and toasted woodnotes with an intense finish that is slightly dry.
• Aroma — a robust blend of vanilla, sweet caramel and dried spices.
• Cruzan 9 is best enjoyed with cola or by itself over ice.

In addition to representing the blend of nine spices, the name Cruzan 9 is a nod to the island, referencing its nine districts. Named for the people of St. Croix (Crucians), Cruzan Rum is synonymous with the spirit of St. Croix and the unpretentious and authentic rum life. The Nelthropp family, who has called St. Croix home for eight generations and runs the distillery to this day, handcrafts each of its rums with all natural ingredients and a five-column distillation process. Cruzan touts one of the cleanest rums in the industry with its low levels of fusel oils, a by-product of the distillation process which, if not removed, can taint the smell and taste of the spirit. Its quality is also linked to the aging process, with most Cruzan rum varieties being aged a minimum of 14 months and up to 12 years.

“Cruzan 9 embodies the spirit of St. Croix,” said Gary Nelthropp, Cruzan master distiller. “We’ve balanced the blend of spices to create something that will be new to many spiced rum drinkers, but will feel very familiar to the people of St. Croix, who enjoy the bold flavor and kick of classic spiced rums.”

Cruzan 9 Recipes

CRUZAN 9 AND COLA
1.5 parts Cruzan 9
6 parts cola
1 lime wedge
Add Cruzan 9 and cola in an ice-filled pint glass. Garnish with lime wedge.

9 NOVA
(based on the classic Bossa Nova cocktail)
1 part Cruzan Light
1 part Cruzan 9
.5 part DeKuyper Apricot Brandy
1 part fresh lemon sour
3 parts pineapple juice
Shake all ingredients with ice and pour into a hurricane glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a dusting of fresh ground nutmeg.

Pricing and Availability
Cruzan 9 is available at the SRP of $15.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

In addition to Cruzan 9, the Cruzan portfolio also consists of Cruzan® Aged Light Rum, Cruzan® Aged Dark Rum, Cruzan® Single Barrel Estate Rum, Cruzan® Black Strap Rum, Cruzan® 151 Proof Rum and 10 flavored rums infused with extracts, such as vanilla, coconut, guava and black cherry. For more information about Cruzan Rum, and for additional cocktail recipes created with the full line of rums, visit www.cruzanrum.com.

About Beam Global Spirits & Wine:
Inspiring conversations around the world, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is building brands people want to talk about. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Cruzan® Rum, EFFEN® Vodka, Larios® Gin, Whisky DYC®, Teacher’s® Scotch Whisky, DeKuyper® Cordials and Liqueurs and Knob Creek® Bourbon. Beam Global Spirits & Wine is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO), a leading consumer brands company. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com

CONTACTS:
Katie Kirby
Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.
224-515-0954
katie.kirby@beamglobal.com

Danielle Mancano
SHIFT Communications
617-779-1834
dmancano@shiftcomm.com

(I meant to add this earlier this morning… oops.)

But it was a small price to pay for Saturday.

Saturday was a good day. It was a day I’ve been waiting for since I moved up here and heard about it. Saturday was the day that the Seafair Pirates landed at Alki beach. And the weather was fantastic.

Fuck. Yeah!

Since I’ve been waiting for this for a long time, my wife graciously agreed to spend the day with me watching the pirates land. On Saturday morning the wife and I woke up early (before noon.. before 9 even) and headed to Alki. Actually, pre-pirates, the wife and I stopped off at a fundraiser/garage sale/bake sale even for Hannah Grage. If you’re looking to make charitable donations you should go to this site and see how you can help.

So, with cookies and brownie secured, we headed to Alki beach.

We were there early, but parking was still terrible. The sky was clear, the sun was bright, and the weather was uncommonly warm for Seattle. I had thought about taking the motorcycle out which would’ve been a lot of fun, but I had a feeling I’d be drinking a rum or two.

Even though we were there early, waiting around was fun. There were a number of booths, both food and goods vendors; athletes from the university were demonstrating the pole-vault (though I can guarantee you that most of the guys were just there to see those female vaulters); and everywhere were little kids dressed as pirates, swordfighting and swashbuckling. Mind you, this is very much a family and child oriented experience so when I say kids were everywhere I mean kids were EVERYWHERE. We took up a seat on the beach and proceeded to wait.

The landing itself took a while, but the shoreline was a mass of small ships flying colors. A number of ships were even firing small cannons which kept the crowd entertained and on its toes.

After the landing we headed to Duke’s Chowder House for some lunch. I had a delicious Mojito that I didn’t order (I ordered a 10 Cane on the rocks with lime) and a glass of rum that actually was what I ordered. Have I ever mentioned how much I love drinking rum in the sun?

Anyway, I talk too much. Here are some pictures.

Moving on.

4,532 Litres of rum are for sale. The port of Cartagena is auctioning off 22 barrels and 132 bottles of Quorhum rum on July 21st at a starting bid of 21,000 euros. Via The Leader

Tanduay Rhum is the second most popular rum in the world. Here in the U.S., though, you can hardly get it. But their growth is strong and there are rumors of it hitting our shores. Via Rum Connection

Yet another article about the Daiquiri. It’s short, but sweet. Via National Post

The World’s Most Expensive Cocktail is a Mai Tai. For $1300 you can get a Mai Tai using the near-impossible to find,original 17-year-old J Wray & Nephew Jamaican Rum… or you could if they were willing to sell you the last shot. Which they aren’t. Via Herald Sun

There’s a seminar being held for the Tiki lovers. Learn about the death of Tiki and it’s resurgence and enjoy some Tiki drinks while you’re at it. Via A Mountain Of Crushed Ice

Get your mixing started for another cocktail contest. About.com’s cocktail contest for July is all about the Light Rum, hopefully it will produce some interesting results. Via About.com

The image in this post has nothing to do with anything. It’s just a cool old saloon photo.

A little while ago I posted about the Signature Cocktail contest being held by Rum Dood, The Rum Connection, and The Floating Rum Shack. Well, the winners have been chosen and each signature drink looks delicious. Congrats to the winners, congrats to each respective site for their new cocktails, and congrats to us for having a new trio of drinks to imbibe. I can’t wait to try them out.

Rum Dood’s Signature Drink

The Rum Connnection’s Signature Drink

The Floating Rum Shack’s Signature Drink

DonQ employs a multiple distillation system for their Cristal in order to “produce a cleaner, more refined, and more delicate flavor profile.” Cristal is then aged in American White Oak Bourbon barrels to smooth it out a bit. DonQ goes so far as to say that you can substitute their Cristal in vodka drinks and most won’t know the difference. To be fair though, most drinks containing vodka are so wrapped up in other flavors that you might not notice the switch at all unless you really swapped in a more flavorful booze.

In the bottle this rum is clear. Crystal clear… Cristal clear? It looks like vodka. Hell, the bottle looks like a vodka bottle. Silver capping, blue text, a few gold medals, and their signature Man of La Mancha logo. The packaging is simple and clean. The only thing they didn’t do like a vodka is frost the bottle.

Once in the glass it could pass for water if it didn’t cling to the walls so much.

The nose is crisp and clean with a faint citrus tinge reminding me of lime zest and soda water. Oh and alcohol… of course there is alcohol in the nose. And that’s about the extent of the scent experience for Cristal.

The drinking experience…

First let me say that when I picked up this bottle, my wife told me not to. She said it was terrible (and this is coming from a woman who worked in a Puerto Rican restaurant and rum bar for the last few years). She told me that it was good for mixing, but bad on its own. I had to try it though, it’s my self-appointed job.

So, no offense to my lovely wife. But I’m not finding this to be terrible on its own. It’s warm, but there’s no overpowering burn. A slight tingle on the tip of the tongue and some heat at the tail end of the drink, but it’s not uncomfortable. Because everything else is so reminiscent of vodka I was half expecting a slightly medicinal experience, but the flavor is smooth and slightly sweet. There’s a small touch of something savory – perhaps a phantom of the oak. Overall, there’s not a whole lot there to discover. Again it’s like vodka. DonQ was accurate in calling this a clean, refined, and delicate flavor profile. I’m just finding it hard to remember this is a rum.

So while I might not choose to sip this rum all by its lonesome, I think this has great potential as a mixer that wont overpower a drink and could convince some non-rum drinkers to try something new. I can easily see myself enjoying this with a little lime and an ice cube on a hot day.

In fact…. BAM! Caipirissima!

Very nice. Delicious. I give myself a round of applause.

And if you were wondering why the liquid in the bottom of the drink is a bit more of a brown color, it’s because the simple syrup I used is made from a delicious unrefined cane sugar and I failed to mix it as well as I thought prior to the photo.

Anyway…

The Rating – based on the New Rating System

Package: 6 – If it had been next to the vodka I would have never given it a second glance.
Appearance: 8 – Clear is what they want, clear is what they got. A bit uninteresting, but there you go.
Nose: 7 – Better than I expected
Taste: 8 – I wish there were more to the flavor, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

Overall: 3.9 out of 5

For anyone not familiar with Marisa Miller, you’re dead, blind, completely out of touch with media, or perhaps all of the above. Above all however, you’re missing out.

She’s been the number one spot in Maxim’s Hot 100, models for Victoria’s Secret and has been on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue. And that’s just scratching the surface of her professional sexiness. You should see her in the Harley Davidson campaign. Wow!

In regards to working with the Captain:

“It’s a great opportunity to work with a brand that is synonymous with fun,” said Marisa Miller. “Captain Morgan is all about celebrating legendary times and I’m excited to be on board as the Captain’s First Mate.”

And the Captain had this to say:

“As you know, being the Captain is a legendary experience. I have become a busy man with so many parties to attend. Sometimes there needs to be a second in command to keep the party going, and who better than a mate like Marisa Miller,” said Captain Morgan. “My goal is to communicate to the world over that Captain Morgan is about fun and partying responsibly. As you know, no party is complete without smart, funny, down-to-earth women who know how to have a great time. I’ve now teamed-up with one of the most beautiful women in the world to help me spread the word to all my friends.”

I’m just excited at having a new excuse to post attractive women.

Marisa for Sports Illustrated wearing bodypaint. BODYPAINT!

More Marisa for SI

Marisa Miller in Costa Rica

Marisa Miller pushing the limits of YouTube nudity rules

Marisa riding for Harley

Info Via PRNewsWire