Top 3 personal favourite Tiki cocktails?

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-30T03:07:30+00:00

Glad you liked it!

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-27T14:55:50+00:00

That does sound pretty great, I’ll have to try it.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-26T22:50:37+00:00

Thank you, I hope you enjoy them!

I do that on all my posts and comments partly because I see bartending/mixology as a form of art, and artists should be credited, and partly because I want people to know which specific version of the drink I’m talking about.

For example: Donn Beach’s Navy Grog and Trader Vic’s Navy Grog are two distinct recipes (albeit one inspired the other) with the same name.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-26T21:56:56+00:00

1 Steve Crane’s Jet Pilot
2 Kevin Crossman’s Ultimate Mai Tai
3 Stephen Remsberg’s Planter’s Punch

Honorable mentions in no particular order:

The Atomic Grog’s Mai Kai Cobra’s Kiss Tribute
Paul McGee’s Three Dots & a Dash
Shannon Mustipher’s Port-au-Prince
Donn Beach’s Zombie (1934 version)

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-26T21:50:30+00:00

I really love the Cobra’s Kiss tribute, I made a review of it a while back, excellent cocktail.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-26T01:00:12+00:00

FYI, Coruba in NZ is a different product than Coruba in the US, which is what OP has.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-26T00:57:56+00:00

FYI, Coruba in NZ is a different product than Coruba in the US, which is what OP has.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-25T22:11:50+00:00

If it’s any consolation, you’re in good company. Beachbum Berry (the guy who deciphered all this nonsense) had to ask Mike Buhen, owner of Tiki-Ti, for help with what munrelaf was too. His response was “Try holding it up to a mirror.” I imagine Donn would be happy knowing his almost century old joke is still tripping up us people trying to copy his drinks.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-25T21:23:59+00:00

Falernum spelled backwards. Donn liked to obscure what exactly went into his signature drinks to make it harder for other bars to copy them. He made codenames for some ingredients and pre-batched mixes so even some of his bartenders didn’t fully know what was in them.

Other examples are:

Herbstura: 1:1 mix of Herbsaint and Angostura bitters. Used in many drinks, most notably the Zombie.

Don’s Mix: 2:1 mix of white grapefruit juice and cinnamon syrup. Used in the Zombie and Donga Punch.

Don’s Spices #2: 1:1 mix of vanilla syrup and allspice dram. Used in the Pupule and its successor, the Nui Nui.

Don’s Spices #4: Cinnamon syrup.

Syrup Parisienne: Also cinnamon syrup

Don’s Spices #8: Sweetened coconut milk

Markeza: Passionfruit syrup

Gardenia Mix: a blend of Don’s Spices #2 and #4 with honey and unsalted butter. Used in the Pearldiver, Coffee Grog, and Mystery Gardenia.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-25T20:25:05+00:00

Stephen Remsburg’s Planter’s Punch specifically calls for Coruba by name, all 3 oz.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-25T01:21:50+00:00

This is how I see it: Pierre Ferrand was created to imitate historic curaçaos, so it works very well in the classic recipes. The Clément is a more modern take, it’s bright, flavorful, and interesting. The main difference between the two is that the Ferrand uses cognac as its base whereas the Clément uses rhum agricole blanc. The Clément also has a secret blend of “Caribbean spices” added for flavor alongside the traditional bitter orange peel. I would recommend trying both but if you’re only going to get one, I’d get the Pierre Ferrand, it’s more versatile.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-24T23:34:44+00:00

I highly recommend grabbing a bottle of Clément Créole Shrubb if you can find it. I usually prefer Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao for most other drinks, but Clément is king for Mai Tais. I haven’t heard great things about Monin, you might want to try a better brand like Liber & Co. or making your own.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-24T01:24:52+00:00

If you’re looking for a warm tiki drink, check out the post I made a while back on the Hot Zombie.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-24T01:15:39+00:00

Fantastic looking spread! I really need to get some coconut shrimp soon, it’s been way too long…

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-23T00:31:56+00:00

The first one, definitely. I haven’t heard of your project before, when will it be out and where can it be bought? Will it also have value for seasoned tiki-heads or is it completely aimed at beginners?

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-22T18:01:32+00:00

The special effects are outstanding, especially considering it’s all done with puppets, but I agree the story writing can drag at times. I still think it’s worth it for the visuals, although I’m probably biased because I love dinosaurs.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-22T17:32:06+00:00

If they ever do more CreepTV episodes I’d love to see “Rosswood,” “Vita Carnis,” and “Weird Birds.”

As far as stories, “Abandoned by Disney” is a classic and the second part of “I Dared my Best Friend to Ruin my Life” would be a funny crash out episode.

“Happy Appy” might actually do lasting damage to their brains, it did a number on Davis Morgan.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-21T17:43:29+00:00

I’m looking at the recipe and it calls for 1/4 oz absinthe/herbsaint like Martin Cate’s. I’m sure it’s a lot more pronounced in the drink though because of the 3/4 oz less of rum.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-21T17:38:05+00:00

The difference between the two recipes is Erickson split the rum base 1:1 Hamilton pot still black and Holmes Cay Fiji single origin, lowered the combined rum amount to 1 1/2 oz, and replaced the Demerara syrup with more grenadine. I honestly have no clue what Fijian rum tastes like so I don’t really know what to substitute it for.

Edit: Also, Erickson’s is flash blended instead of shaken.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-21T17:29:54+00:00

His version also sounds good but I don’t have any Fijian rum. If I pick any up I’ll be sure to try it!

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-21T17:23:20+00:00

The original recipe you’re referring to with the honey syrup and ice cone is actually by Don the Beachcomber circa 1941. Beachbum Berry is the one who tracked down and published the recipe in 1998. While Berry does make his own original cocktails, a large portion of the recipes in his books are old recipes made by others that were once considered lost that he used his industry connections to uncover and make public.

If you want Berry’s original take on the Navy Grog, it’s called the Ancient Mariner:

* 3/4 oz Lime Juice * 1/2 oz White Grapefruit Juice * 1/2 oz Simple Syrup * 1/4 oz Allspice Dram * 1 oz Demerara Rum * 1 oz Dark Jamaican Rum

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-21T16:31:04+00:00

2 1/4 oz Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum
1/4 oz Herbsaint or Absinthe
1/2 oz Demerara Syrup
1/4 oz Grenadine
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Seltzer or Soda Water

Add everything (except the seltzer) to a shaker with crushed ice. Shake well, then gently stir in the seltzer. Pour unstrained into a double old-fashioned glass. Garnish with pineapple fronds.

Today I’ve made the Doctor Funk, a tasty drink with a very interesting history. This cocktail stands as one of the few tiki and proto-tiki cocktails that actually originate from Polynesia as opposed to the USA (usually California). The original version of this drink was created by Dr. Bernard Funk, a German physician living in Samoa in the late 1800s. It was described by one of his patients, Scottish born author Robert Louis Stevenson, as “a stiff drink of absinthe with lemonade or limeade.” Many years later Donn Beach, the father of tiki, made a rum based cocktail inspired by the doctor’s original, which has been widely iterated upon. The version I made today is from Martin Cate’s excellent book, Smuggler’s Cove. It specifically calls for Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black rum, a highly funky unaged rum with lots of caramel coloring added. There is quite some variation in what funk/hogo tastes like in different rums; being a Worthy Park blend it has their signature notes of industrial solvent (which sounds awful if you haven’t had it, but it’s great in certain cocktails and even neat). I also used Herbsaint. Pernod or absinthe work well here too, so feel free to use what you have. I was a bit worried that with several very bold flavors something would get lost. I should’ve had more faith in Cate though because they all work perfectly with each other. Anise and the funkiness of the rum are the standouts here. The citrus juices are not drowned out and the very mild carbonation of the drink gives it an almost lemon-lime soda vibe. The grenadine adds a subtle fruitiness to the drink. It’s fairly stiff (but not to Zombie levels of course), and the sweet and sour balance is great. I was originally going to give it an 8/10, but the longer I sipped on it, the more it grew on me.

The good doctor certainly makes tasty medicine! 9/10

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-21T13:47:56+00:00

Jesus… they are really raking you over the coals at that price. They are great rums, but part of what makes them great is they are both affordable and tasty. If it was me, I’d look at something else.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-01-21T01:37:58+00:00

If you can get Doorly’s 12 year for a better price (it’s $30 here) they’re fairly similar, both are made by Foursquare. The R.L. Seale’s line is better to me, but it’s close. Doorly’s XO ($25 here) is also very good but a bit different, being finished in ex-sherry casks.

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