Mrs. Wonk and I are overwhelmed by the response to our book, Minimalist Tiki, which we released a year ago. We’ve got some exciting news to share on that front! TL;DR -- We’re bringing thirty new modern recipes to light, each a modern take on a Minimalist Tiki Classic Thirty recipes like the Mai Tai,... Continue Reading →
New Insights Into Wray & Nephew 17
Over on the Facebook Rum History forum, I shared some recent discoveries about perhaps the most sought-after rum in the world: Wray & Nephew 17, made famous for its use in the 1944 Mai Tai. For all the obsession collectors and tiki historians have over it, we know shockingly little about this rum. Here’s what... Continue Reading →
The British Navy’s Rum Purchases Revealed
For fifty years, the rums that the British Royal Navy blended for its sailors has fascinated enthusiasts and historians. Most stories about navy rum endlessly recycle prior conjecture that's both vague and not particularly accurate. Ponder this conventional wisdom about the navy’s rums: Navy rum was a blend of rums from Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad and... Continue Reading →
British Navy Rum Ration Hijinks
Stories about the British Navy’s daily rum ration inevitably include imagery of sailors lined up at the grog tub, emblazoned with “God Save the Queen” - or “King”, if you go back far enough. It suggests that sailors were anxiously awaiting their mix of rum and water (“grog”), eager to consume it straightaway. However, sailors... Continue Reading →
The 1969 Ministry of Defence Signal Ending the British Navy Rum Ration
July 31st, 1970 -- a day that lives in infamy as Black Tot day. It was on this day that British navy sailors received their final daily rum ration, something dear since its 1731 establishment. These days, every July 31st is an annual occasion for enthusiasts and marketers to tell the remarkable story of British... Continue Reading →
Pusser’s Rum Charles Tobias On the Record: Part Two
What follows is part two of my interview with Charles Tobias, the U.S. marine aviator, technology CEO, and globe-crossing sailor who created the Pusser’s Rum brand in 1979, based on the British Royal Navy’s rum recipe. Part One of the interview delves into Charles’ background and his approach to the British navy to get the... Continue Reading →