Monday, August 20, 2012

Study shows marriage stops men drinking – as their wives hit the bottle instead

Marriage appears to drive women to drink but has the opposite effect on men, a study has suggested.

 
 
Far from encouraging men to patronise a local pub to escape from domestic duties, marriage actively reduces their alcohol intake, according to research being presented at the American Sociological Association today.
However, the effect on women of walking down the aisle appears to be the opposite.
The researchers found that married women generally drink more heavily than single women, widows or divorcees.
By contrast, men who are happily married drink less than their bachelor friends and significantly less than divorced men.
The reason, the researchers conclude, is that while women can help keep their husbands’ drinking habits under control, men are simply a bad influence on their wives.

     This is an interesting revelation, after years of country songs talking about husbands out all night and getting drunk, it turns out that today women's freedoms have driven them to out drink the husbands.     It just might be that the marriage has drive the women to drink and the men to focus more giving them less time for hanging out and drinking.    This leads me to believe that married men are much calmer emotionally and marriage is tending to stress women for some reason, anyway an interesting article on the Mars and Venus ideas of the difference between men and women.   ;o)
  
 

Sunday, August 19, 2012

What a Concept!!



I guess that at some time or another that this idea as crossed your mind.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

The Things that Surround Us that We Never See

Hermit Crab
Isn't it funny how we walk around every day and so many things that we don't even see.  I took the camera out recently and started looking for things to photograph, when it dawned on me to look a little closer.   These are some of the things that I found.  As you walk around you are usually in the scan mode and really don't see anything but things that you are about to trip over, but when you really start looking there are many things around you that are truly beautiful.


Unusual Plant

Lizard

Passion Flower

Try it, just look at your environment, you'll be surprised at what will appear around you when you take some time to look.    Notice your world, it is very enjoyable no matter where you are.  ;o)

Friday, August 17, 2012

Diageo seems to be Approaching Jamaica Differently

   Diageo has taken a different approach toward Jamaica in the Caribbean Rum Wars.   Diageo is seeking some support from Claredon Distillers Limited in reaching out to the West Indies Rum and Spirit Producers Association (WIRSPA) after last week's  statement, "The company warned last week that it was prepared to re-evaluate its operations in the Caribbean were regional rum producers to play hardball and file a dispute with the World Trade Organization (WTO)."    Diageo has a very good relationships in Jamaica and no plans  to change these during it's current contract terms.    

"Diageo said it recently invested significantly in renovating Clarendon Distillers, in which it has about 27 per cent ownership.
Clarendon Distillers, which is controlled by National Rums of Jamaica, is the producer of Monymusk White Overproof Rum.
"Indeed, we are actively seeking support from Clarendon to help us access some of WIRSPA's leadership to understand their issues," the company said." in an article of Autust 15, 2012 in the Jamaica Gleaner."
     Diageo was asked what its position on re-evaluating of its Caribbean interests with respect to the current conflict, Diageo said, "the terms of these contracts vary and we take pride in having positive relationships with our chosen suppliers. However, when contracts come up for renewal, we do re-evaluate them - which is sensible business."   Replacing the rum once supplied by Seralles Distilleria in Ponce Puerto Rico with rum produced in their own distillery in St. Croix was one of the decissions they had to make for the sake of the business. 
     Diageo is currently purchasing bulk rum in very large amounts from producers in Barbados and Guyana.   The truth of the matter is that they are purchasing, "the same amount of rum the  Caribbean that the WIRSPA reports that it's members export to the United States market."     The idea of the"cover over program" is not a new issue, it has been in place since 1917 when Congress enacted it to stablize the economy and offer fiscal autonomy to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
     I'm not sure where this battle is going to head next, but I feel that the two groups need to spend some more time together until something can be worked out.   ;o)

Thursday, August 16, 2012

2012 National Rum Day

Hemingway Daiquiri
    National Rum Day is the day you get to go out and experience the varieties of fine sugar cane spirits.     Rum has made an impressive renaissance if you will in the past 5 or so years.    Now knocking on the door of Vodka as the most sought after liquor these days here in America .     Rum is one of the most versatile spirits in that it mixes very well or can be enjoyed in a snifter or with just a couple of cubes of ice.   There are many classic cocktails that were made with rum and became popular as a part of the "Tiki Era" of the late thirties til the early eighties.   Others like the Hurricane and the Rumrunner that were created to get rid of a stocks of rum and other liquors that the bar owner had to buy in the early days after World War II in order to receive a case whiskey or scotch.

     Today with the resurgence of the craft cocktails and the Tiki style cocktails it is only natural that the rum is going to be a huge part of it.    Rum is a spirit that has many faces and likes showing all of them.  There are no two rums out there that taste alike, this is what makes the craft and tiki mixologists flock toward rum to create their masterpieces.  Rum has the reputation of being the fun spirit and seems to be the spirit of choice for fun events and cocktails.

    The other side of rum is one of sophistication and relaxation.   Fine rums are the perfect drink to sit and enjoy after dinner or just relaxing on the water in the evening.    Today there is a large market for rums of sophistication that can be enjoyed like fine cognacs and scotches have been in the past.    The fine rums of today are being used to celebrate the anniversary of fifty years of  Independence for Jamaica, 150 years of the Bacardi family producing rum, or 100 years of the Valera Hermanos family making rum in Panama.  This is an indication of the strength of the spirit in the modern world today.


     There are several methods for you to get to know rums here today.  You can stop by and visit with Martin Cates at Smuggler's Cove on Gough Street in San Francisco, Adam Kanter at the Rum Bar on Walnut Street in Philadelphia, or stop by and see me at the Rum Bar on Duval Street in Key West.   Any of us are very knowledgeable on the subject of sugar cane spirits and would love to assist you getting to know the rums of the world.    The other method that is easily accomplished is to go on line and see what Robert Burr can show you in his booklet "Rob's  Rum Guide" http://www.giftedrums.com/ .

   National Rum Day offers chances to get to know what your newest favorite spirit is all about and courtesy of Crave Local.com, here is an interesting video and some recipes making use of Rhum Barbancourt products and some of my Rum Lab creations for your pleasure.   ;o)

http://cravelocal.com/national/key-west-bahama-bob-shares-his-favorite-cocktails-for-national-rum-day/



    

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Tulum: The Mayan Walled City

Temple of the Descending God
     Tulum, The Walled City, served as a major seaport for the "Pre-Columbian Era" Mayans serving the city of Coba.   The original name for Tulum was "Zama" meaning the "City of Dawn", because of it easterly facing orientation on the 39 foot cliffs and overlooking the Caribbean Sea.   Most active between the 13th and 16th centuries, although the earliest dated item is A.D. 564.  The Mayan city managed to survive some 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico.   Unfortunately it was the "Old World" diseases that were to bring the native Mayans into extinction.

     There are three major structures on the site, The Temple of the Descending Gods, El Castillo, and the Temple of the Frescoes.   The architecture of the site is recognized by the step foundations at the base of the structures and the similarity of the structures to those at Chichen Itza, but on a much smaller scale.   

     The largest structure on the site is "El Castillo" or the Castle a structure that can be seen from the sea or from inland.   It is the dominant structure of the site, although the shrine appears to have been built upon another structure.   El Castillo was  used as a beacon to guide canoes into the port.  There is a break in the reef exactly opposite "El Castillo" and it is in front of the break in the cliffs that provided the perfect location for any trading to take place.   Artifacts in the area indicate that trading at the site was one of the primary functions of Tulum.

     The Temple of the Frescoes was primarily used as an observatory to track the movement of the sun.  The Temple of the Frescoes has a lower gallery and a smaller second story observatory.  Like the other buildings of the site, the architecture is classic Mayan.

    Like Chichen Itza, Coba, and the other Mayan ruins that are located throughout the Mayan Riviera, Tulum is probably one of the more spectacular to see because of it's proximity to the Caribbean sea and the towns of Cancun and Cozumel.   It is a short hour and a half bus ride from the Hotel zone in Cancun to the site and a real pleasure to wander through the ruins and wonder at what the Mayan people accomplished with so few tools.   I guess it is the enormity of the entire Mayan cities and the engineering marvels that they constructed that keeps me in aah of the Mayans.   ;o

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Diageo Fires Warning Shots Back at CARICOM

        In the Caribbean Business Newspaper come the next step in the rum wars in the Caribbean over the U.S. rum subsidies.    Diageo is firing back with some warnings of it's own.

      Diageo is warning that it would be forced to “re-evaluate” its operations in the region if Caribbean Community & Common Market (Caricom) nations hike their challenge of sweet subsidies Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are offering rum makers with federal funds.
     Officials from the 15-member Caricom have been complaining to U.S. officials about the subsidies since last spring. Countries are now considering making formal complaints about the issue before the World Trade Organization (WTO). Such a serious move in the multi-front Caribbean rum war could imperil the lucrative federal rum-rebate program that pumps hundreds of millions of dollars into both territories each year.

     The widening rum war first broke out between Puerto Rico and the USVI when Diageo moved production of Captain Morgan rum from Ponce (where it was made under contract by Destilería Serrallés) to St. Croix after landing huge incentives from the USVI government, which basically split the rum-rebate revenue between the government and the liquor producer. The USVI also entered into a similar deal with Fortune Brands, which produces Cruzan rum in St. Croix.
  Read More: http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=74973&ct_id=1&ct_name=1.
    
However, Diageo told BeverageDaily.com “ that the amount of bulk rum it buys from members of the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) is equal to the trade group’s reported exports to the U.S. market”.
     Diageo said rum exports to the U.S. by Caricom countries climbed 39 percent for the first four months of the year, BeverageDaily.com reported.
     “These valuable relationships could be disrupted by a Caricom challenge at the WTO, which would force to re-evaluate its activities in the Caribbean,” Diageo told BeverageDaily.com.
     “This means that Diageo is not flooding the U.S. market with rum,” Diageo told BeverageDaily.com. “And Diageo’s premium rum doesn’t compete with, much less displace, the bulk rum produced by WIRSPA members.”

This is a complicated problem that is effecting much of rum world, and one that if it goes much beyond talk, could disrupt the world of rum in a way that it might have trouble recovering from.      Rum is in an up surge in popularity and many of the great rums are hard to get here in the United States without there being further restrictions upon the industry due to political issues.   ;o)

Monday, August 13, 2012

Oliver and Oliver: Cuban Background Dominican Rum

  Having rum brands like Vizcaya, Cubaney, and Opthumus,  Oliver and Oliver is producing some of the finest rums in the world from their Dominican Republic plant.   These rums all have a very strong Cuban heritage that stems from the late 18th century.

     Juanillo Oliver arrived in Cuba from Spain as a soldier and started his family on the island of Cuba in the late 1700's.   Upon the completion of his military obligation, he decided to settle in Central Cuba in an area know today as "Oliver" near Las Placetas.     Here is where the family was raised and the beginning of the operation that lead to the production of sugar cane and tobacco began.  They would later on added companies to process their cane and tobacco, including the making of rum and brandy.    By the middle of the 1800's their rums were considered to be among the best in the world.   The Cuban War of Independence in 1895 brought the family rum and agricultural efforts to an end.   The soldiers razed the factories and burned the sugar cane fields as they fought the battles in central Cuba.     During the Cuban Revolution that began in 1959, the Oliver Family left Cuba and relocated throughout the world.   In 1980, one of Juanillo Oliver's descendants returned to Cuba to research the family history.   He discovered many of the old files and documents that revealed the old recipes and formulas used to make rum by the family in the 19th century.

      Since the Dominican Republic shared a like soil and weather with Cuba, it was decided that the family would set up a new rum factory and bring the family dream of producing rum again to fruition.  In 1990 the first year that rum was produced and after almost 100 years, fine quality Cuban rums were being produced again by the Oliver Family.

   Oliver and Oliver today makes many fine rums with distillates from Panama, and Trinidad. The aging is done in Bourbon barrels from the United States and sherry barrels from France.    Master blenders from Cuba relocated to the Dominican Republic and other artisan rum makers were put together to form the team that today makes the fine Cuban style rums produced by Oliver and Oliver.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Clouds:

  
"Bows and flows of angel hair, And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere, I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun, They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done, But clouds got in my way

I've looked at clouds from both sides now, From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall, I really don't know clouds at all."
      In the words of Joni Mitchell's Immortal song, I can say, I've looked at clouds from the ground and in the air, and even from the inside out, but I really don't know clouds at all.


Saturday, August 11, 2012

Sugar and Barbados

     The history of Barbados has been steered by the story of sugar.    In the 18th century, the British were consuming sugar at a tremendous rate and the Island of Barbados was responsible for a lot of the sugar production in that era.     There were several sugar plantations growing the sugar cane on the island and factories that were processing it.     The need for manpower for the industry led to the importing of slaves from Africa from the early 1700's until the early 1800's, and soon after, the sugar for slaves and rum began.     The sugar production in Barbados provided 90% of it's exports.    By the onset of the industrial revolution a lot of the labor intensive work was being performed in factories by machines and the use of the slaves was being relegated to the fields cutting the cane.

     St. Nicolas Abbey was one of the sugar plantations of the era that today is being meticulously restored by Larry Warren and his family.   This magnificent property was originally owned by two men, Col. Benjamin Berringer and Sir John Yeamans.   They each had plantations that were adjoining, but disputes had occurred over the property line on a regular basis.    As it would turn out Berringer and his wife would split up and Yeamans married the former Mrs. Berringer after Benjamin's death which occurred under some questionable circumstances.   The two plantations were merged and have been since that time.   The 350 plus acres make up the St. Nicolas Abbey today.

    Like in the past much of the land is devoted to growing sugar cane that is processed in the factory that is operating  on the property today.  The major difference is that the cane juice is made directly into rum instead of being processed into sugar.    The still and the cane crushing machinery are a very interesting part of our tour of the property.  

     As you move through the Jacobean style great house, the opulence of the sugar barons of the era is so apparent.   The fabulous living room, dining room, and study make it clear how well off they really were.    The plantation gets better and better with each year that I have visited and the opening of new areas to the public reveals the elite lifestyle they lived.

     Today the Warren's are making high quality rum at the plantation that you can purchase and have the bottle engraved to and your own preference.    Larry and his family has spent a great deal of money putting the plantation back together so the visitors to Barbados can have a glimpse of the life on the plantations back in the hay day of sugar production on Barbados.

     Just down the hill from St. Nicolas Abbey is the Andrews Sugar plantation where you can see a fully restored wind mill for crushing sugar cane.    There is also a sugar museum on the island that takes you through the history and a chance to see a plant that actually produce sugar.   In the Museum you are introduced to several of the early pieces of equipment used to produce the sugar and how the process is accomplished.


This history of the sugar production on Barbados is key to the rum industry that still flourishes on Barbados and is the source of pride for the Bajan people who feel that they produce some of the finest rums in the world as well as being among the originators of rum.   ;o)

Friday, August 10, 2012

150 Years of Rhum Barbancourt

     Rhum Barbancourt is probably the only stable entity in Haiti.  Over the past 150 years they have had thirty-two rulers toppled, the presidential palace burned twice and again is lying in ruins.    A country that has had the United States troops running the country many times.   In the past 150 years the only thing  that stands stably in the country is Rhum Barbancourt.

     In 1862, Dupre Barbancourt, a native of Charente, France, finalized his recipe for a rum that still bears his name.    This double distilling method called "Charentaise" was reserved especially for cognac but became destined to be the method for an internationally awarded Rhum recognized around the world.

Thierry Gardere
     Upon Dupre's passing he left no heir, but passed the company on to Nathalie Gardere, who managed the company with the assistance of her nephew, Paul Gardere.     The company was passed to from Nathalie to Paul upon her passing.
In 1946, Paul's passing gave the company reins  to his son Jean, who managed the company until 1990 when he passed it on to his son Thierry, becoming the 4th generation of the Gardere family to run the company.


     Barbancourt had produced rhum continuously for 148 years prior the the January 12, 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti.    Gardere expected major damages to his aging areas and that stocks would be lost.   Nearly a third of the 800 barrels of rhum flowed on to the ground.  The first order of business was to put the aging rooms back into order.  Repairing and replacing the damages oak barrels was the first order of business.   Many of the barrels that were not to severely damaged were repaired using pieces from the badly damaged ones.  More barrels were brought in from France to replace the more severely damaged ones.  The distillery's workers  wasted no time in repairing the facility, by May the plant was producing and bottling rhum again.

     The strength of leadership and the desire and pride of the workers have brought Rhum Barbancourt back from the brink and producing the same quality products that it always has.   If you haven't tried any of the fine Rhum Barbancourt products, you owe it to yourself to pick up a bottle and enjoy the fruits of this 150 year old recipe.   ;o)

    

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Captain Tony Tattacino: Tomorrow is His Birthday and Captain Tony Days are Underway in Key West

     Captain Tony Tarracino born August 10, 1916 in Elizabeth, New Jersey in the midst of the world at war for the first time.   This  ninth grade drop-out who sold whiskey during the Prohibition days with his father, later becoming a gambler that drew the wrath of the New Jersey Mafia, beaten and left for dead at a Newark city dump, waking up some two days later he relocated to Key West in 1948.

     Starting his life in Key West as a shrimper, later a charter boat captain, and even a gun runner for the Cuban mercenaries during the Bay of Pigs in Cuba.    1958 was the year that Tony Tarracino bought the rundown bar at 428 Greene Street from David Wolkowski and marked the beginning of Captain Tony's Saloon.

    Tony was the father of 13 children that span 50 years from the oldest to the youngest with three wives, Mimi, Mae and Shirley.   When he was 78 in an interview with Tom Archdeacon of the Dayton Daily News, was quoted as saying, "Now truth is , I'd like to make it an even number.   So if you know a healthy girl up there in Dayton."     Tony out lived all three of his wives and one of his sons.    The legendary hustler was said, "I kissed the mothers, not the babies" during his runs for Mayor of Key West.    Mayor of Key West for one term in 1989 after six tries won the seat by 32 votes out of 6,000 votes cast.

     Captain Tony's Saloon has been the starting point for Jimmy Buffett, and the stools bear the names of the famous people like, Shel Silverstein, Muhammad Ali, Dustin Hoffman, Bob Dylan, John Candy, and so many others who came to listen the the salt of the earth philosophy and tales spun by Captain Tony.

     Captain Tony has touched my life from the first time that I walked through the door in the mid 90's and saw him sitting on his stool by the souvenir counter telling tales and signing the breasts of a long line of ladies.  His immortal poster that bears the quote,"All you need in this life is a tremendous sex drive and a great ego.  Brains don't mean shit".   The poster hung in my bar in North Carolina until I moved to Key West to live my current life on the boat.   The man, the legend, and the family man are all covered in the book"Life Lessons of a Legend" by Captain Tony Tarracino and Brad Manard.   His spirit still flies over Key West daily in the form of his image on the side of the Cape Air plane that leaves Key West daily for Fort Myers and returns.


     This week we celebrate Captain Tony's life and tales during Captain Tony Days here in Key West.   Happy Birthday Captain Tony, where ever you may be today.    He was quoted when asked about where he thought he would be going, "Truth is, when that angel finally does appear and says 'Hey Tony what'll it be - heaven or hell? I'm gonna ask, How 'bout Vegas instead?"    I guess that really says a lot about the man and the legend, and how his mind worked.  We truly miss him here in Key West since his passing on 1 November 2008, the day after the end of Fantasyfest.    ;o)

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Ron Matusalem: Cuban Heritage and The Same Fine Rum

     Known as the "Cognac of Rums", Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva is still to this day one of the finest rums in the world.   How did this happen?   It stated in 1872 when Benjamin and Eduardo Camp joined up with Evaristo Alvarez to establish the Matusalem Rum Distillery in Santiago de Cuba.    The brothers Camp brought the knowledge of the Spanish solera system of blending and distillation they acquired from making brandy in Spain.    The name was derived from an Old Testament patriarch who was said to have lived 969 years.     An old Spanish proverb,"Mas viejo que Matusalem", which translates to "Older than Methuselah" is the source of the name and chosen in reference to the aging process used in creating the rum.

     Benjamin Camp returned to Spain in 1912 leaving the company operation to his brother Eduardo and Evaristo Alvarez.   The Alvarez and the Camp became closer following the marrage of Evaristo Alvarez's daughter to Eduardo Camp's son.    The company grew  under the leadership of  Claudio Alvarez LeFebre for the next 25 years.   Prohibition in the United States did a lot for the growth of Cuba's rum industry as Americans flocked to Cuba to enjoy their rum.     In the 1940's Claudio's son Claudio Alvarez Soriano took control of the company and under his leadership Matusalem had 50% of Cubas rum business.     In 1956 the Alvarez family was struck by disaster when the elder Alvarez passed away followed 6 months later by his son dieing of lung cancer.

     Following the Cuban Revolution, the Matusalem Brand and the family went into exile and the company was moved to the United States and the Matusalem factory in Santiago de Cuba was prducing "Ron Santiago".      The brand was left neglected until Dr. Claudio Alvarez Salazar, the great grand son of the founder took control of the company ending years of fueding  between the three branches of the family.

     In 2002 the company relaunched in the Dominican Republic and started producing premium rums from the Caribbean.   Today  the Matusalem Rums are being blended by master blenders that are all direct decedents of the founders of the company.  The rum is still being ared and blended in the solera system in  barrels just like it was produced back in the early days in Cuba.

    

     The Cuban government tried to produce Matusalem again, but after a legal battle it disappeared and has not been seen since.      After many years of rums being produced in Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, and in Florida, the Matuslem Brand has a perminant home from where to produce it's premium rums once again.   ;o)

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

2012 Top 20 Party School Rankings are Out

The rankings are out, and the eastern colleges seem to be the party schools in the Unitied States.     Read More at http://www.collegeatlas.org/top-party-schools.html.



Top Party Schools for 2011 and 2012

Based on surveys taken from 122,000 students, the Princeton Review has released their 2012 annual rankings of colleges. By far the list that gets the most attention is the ranking of the top party schools in the nation. The ranking is generated based on survey questions relating to student use of alcohol and drugs, hours of study done each day, and the popularity of the Greek system at the school.

This year Ohio University ousted University of Georgia for the top spot in Princton's rankings of top party schools, but University of Georgia came in a close second. It's not surprise that Ohio University is at the top of the list. Most of us know if you're looking for a great time and like to drink Ohio University is where it's happening. And topping this years list of "Stone Cold Sober" schools, which is no surprise, is BYU as well as several other military academies.


Princeton Review's
Top Party Schools for 2011

Princeton Review's
Top Party Schools for 2012

1. University of Georgia1. Ohio University (Athens, OH)
2. Ohio University2. University of Georgia (Athens, GA)
3. Penn State University3. University of Mississippi (Oxford, MS)
4. West Virginia University4. University of Iowa (Iowa city, IA)
5. University of Mississippi5. University of California Santa Barbara
6. University of Texas at Austin6. West Virginia University (Morgantown, WV)
7. University of Florida7. Penn State University (University Park, PA)
8. University of California - Santa Barbara8. Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL)
9. University of Iowa9. University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)
10. DePauw University10. University of Texas (Austin, TX)
11. Florida State University11. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
12. University of Wisconsin - Madison12. Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY)
13. University of Alabama13. Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, LA)
14. Sewanee - The University of the South14. University of Wisconsin-Madison (Madison, WI)
15. Indiana University - Bloomington15. DePauw University (Greencastle, IN)
16. University of Colorado - Boulder16. Indiana University (Bloomington, IN)
17. University of Missouri17. Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)
18. University of Illinois18. University of Maryland (College Park, MD)
19. University of Maryland19. University of Vermont (Burlington, VT)
20. Michigan State University

20. University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC)

Monday, August 6, 2012

Rhum Barbancourt Tasting a Huge Success at the Rum Bar Key West

     Thursday's Rhum Barbancourt tasting at the Rum Bar Key West brought a good number of people to try one of the special cocktails that were developed specifically for the event.    The tasting featured the Rhum Barbancourt Three Star and the Rhum Barbancourt Pango in cocktails that were developed to bring out the flavors of these great rhums.   

   The crowd was treated to five different cocktails that seemed to be enjoyed equally between the guests.    Stop y your liquor store and pick up these fine Rhum Barbancourt spirits and try these recipes. ;o)

    
Haitian Surprise
·         1 oz. Rhum Barbancourt Pango
·         1 ½ oz. Rhum Barbancourt 3 Star
·         ¾ oz. Triple Sec
·         1 oz. Grapefruit Juice
·         1 ½ oz. Pineapple Juice
·         ½ oz. Cane Syrup (Simple Sugar Syrup)
·         2 Dashes of Bitters
Place all ingredients in a Collins glass with ice and shake until chilled.   Garnish with a lime wheel.
Barbancourt Mai Tai
·          1 ½ oz. Rhum Barbancourt 3 Star
·          ¾ oz. Rhum Barbancourt Pango
·          ¾ oz. Falernum
·          ½ oz. Orgeat Syrup
·          ¾ oz. Orange Juice
·          1 oz. Pineapple Juice
·          Dash of Bitters 
Place all ingredients in a Collins glass with ice and shake until chilled.   Garnish with a lime wheel.
Barbancourt Surprise
·          1 ½ oz. Rhum Barbancourt 3 Star
·          ¾ oz. Rhum Barbancourt Pango
·          ¾ oz. Cream of Coconut
·          ¾ oz. Pomegranate Liqueur
·          ¾ oz. Lime Juice
·          1 oz. Pineapple Juice
·         Dash of Bitters
Place all ingredients in a Collins glass with ice and shake until chilled.   Garnish with a lime wheel.
Pango Keys Cocktail
·          1 ½ oz. Rhum Barbancourt 3 Star
·          ¾ oz. Rhum Barbancourt Pango
·          ¾ oz. Falernum
·          ½ oz. Lime Juice
·          ½ oz. Grapefruit Juice
·          Few Drops of Agave Nectar 
Place all ingredients in a Collins glass with ice and shake until chilled.   Garnish with an Orange  wheel and a Cherry.
Haitian Sweet Tart
·          1 oz. Rhum Barbancourt 3 Star
·          1 oz. Rhum Barbancourt Pango
·          1 oz. Coconut Rum
·          ½ oz. Falernum
·          1oz. Sour Mix
·          1 ½ oz. Barrett’s Ginger Beer
Place all ingredients in a Collins glass with ice and shake until chilled.   Garnish with an Orange  wheel and a Cherry