I’m now 56, but my serious interest in rums began in my very late teens, and grew from my fascination with faux-Polynesian restaurants like Trader Vic’s and Don the Beachcombers. I was drawn by the exotic atmosphere and mystery they evoked, and I especially liked the exotic cocktails. Chemistry had been an earlier hobby – making these drinks seemed to combine chemistry, magic and sin! As a young man, I couldn’t afford many drinks at Vic’s or Don’s – I’d nurse one for an hour or more, enjoying just “being there”.
So, I set out to learn how to make the drinks at home, with Trader Vic’s Bartenders Guide (1972 ed.) as my initial source. This led me to seek more information about rum, while collecting an assortment of rums, glasses and barware, etc. Alas, these were the dying days of the original “tiki craze”, and soon the Don’s and Vic’s in my city of Dallas were closed. Many "essential" rums disappeared from local stores. I hunted liquor shops on vacations, and brought home my treasures. My devotion to rum and the lost tiki culture became a private interest, an underground hobby. I always kept a ‘rum bar’ at home. I was unaware of the California-centered “tiki revival” in the late 90’s. I didn’t catch on to resurgence in tiki, and associated rum culture, until the “2nd Revival”, maybe around 2005. Along with the “classic cocktail revival”, it seems to have spurred the market for good rum, and so much more has become available, here. Though historically, my interest in rums was in the context of certain drinks, in ‘my old age’, I’ve also taken to enjoying them as a “sipper”. I have around 35 to 40 rums, currently (not counting some spiced and flavored rums),… and only one of them is a Bacardi!
I follow the Tiki Central forum, along with various rum-related blogs and forums. What attracted my interest to the Rum Project was the effort of Capn Jimbo (and others) to help “out” the (denied!) practice of adding sugar to rum, and determine the added sugar content of rums. This was something I’d wondered about for years. I bought a hydrometer set and graduate cylinders, and hope to soon test some rums that haven’t “hit the charts”, yet (as well as some other spirits I’m curious about). Meanwhile, know that I appreciate all the info (and entertainment) from Capn Jimbo and you other Rum Project members.
Limbo Lizard
