Tag: Overproof Rum

Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number 1

Friday, August 29, 2025 / Robert Burr / 1 Comment

The release of Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number 1 by the legendary Mai-Kai Polynesian Restaurant and Bar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida marks a return to the rustic profiles of rums once used to make their classic tropical style drinks in the early era of tiki cocktails.

A complete immersive experience, the restaurant, established in 1956, has the distinction of serving the most rum drinks of any venue in the United States. The exotic food and drinks menus, the authentic Polynesian dance performances and the obsessive attention to detail in the amenities and decor, set the Mai-Kai apart from any other South Pacific themed showcase.

Return To The Past with Rustic Rum

Many of the Mai-Kai’s favorite rums for their bespoke cocktails were lost over the decades, replaced with spirits made by more modern production methods. After the complete refurbishment of the restaurant, the cocktail program needed a rejuvenation with a base rum made in a more rustic manner. Thus was born the Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number 1.

Sourcing components from old copper stills long lost, then refurbished, the old style special rum blend faithfully delivers robust, funky, rich and fruity notes from the old Gregg’s Farm pot still at West Indies Rum Distillery (WIRD) in Barbados, as well as big ester rums from the legendary old pot stills of Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica.

This exceptionally well balanced blend was created under the direction of Master Blender Don Benn at WIRD, with collaboration from Master Blender Alexandre Gabriel and the team at Long Pond. The result is an adept exercise in the art of rum blending for a specific purpose — to bring the Mai-Kai rum cocktail program back in time, to a day when the rustic rums of the Caribbean gave tropical libations their unvarnished best qualities.

The Eclectic Package Design

The custom bottle design and the development of the gift box and bottle labels was accomplished by Roneros Rum Brand Builders of Boston and Miami, incorporating the legacy themes of the Mai-Kai Polynesian Restaurant and Molokai Bar. The gift box, with a cutout showing the bottle label, includes the origin story of the Mai-Kai by the Thornton Brothers. The gift box also explains how this rum was developed to represent a reflection of the types of rums originally used in the legendary Mai-Kai cocktail list.

Tasting Notes

Mai-Kai rum offers aromas of ripe banana, black treacle and juicy fruit over toasted oak tannins and vanilla toffee leads to hints of earthy musk and old leather. On the palate, musky oak barrels and bold funky fruits are sublimely integrated with baking spices, dark cane syrup notes and vanilla custard, before hints of fruit cake linger with a hint of brown butter. The 50% abv spirit holds its own very well with bold flavors that mask the true strength of the blend.

Availability

With limited production, availability of the Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number 1 is limited to sales at the Mai-Kai Restaurant Trading Post gift shop. Each bottle includes a unique bottle number printed on the top label.

The one liter bottle of Mai-Kai Rum Number 1– bottled at 50% abv (100 proof) — sells for $75. The six liter case is $400.

get details at maikairum.com

From the world famous Mai-Kai Polynesian Restaurant and Bar in Fort Lauderdale Florida, this is the incredible Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number 1 in the one liter bottle.

Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number 1 Gif Box with Bottle

The Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number 1 gift box for sale at the Mai-Kai Trading Post gift shop.

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Pusser’s Select Aged 151 Overproof Rum

Tuesday, March 1, 2022 / Robert Burr / 0 Comments

The legendary Pusser’s rum brand presents a new expression in the U.S. market — Select Aged 151 Overproof Rum, aged in used Bourbon barrels. This rich and robust blend of rums from Guyana is bottled at full cask strength — 75.5% ABV.

Aged a minimum of three years and chill filtered, the Select Aged 151 formula closely reflects the Admiralty’s regulations for official navy issue rum rations prior to 1970.

Pusser’s Select Aged 151 Overproof Rum debuts in the U.S. market

The rum faithfully evokes the spirit of camaraderie of bygone days when wooden ships sailed the seven seas in the heyday of the British Empire. At full strength, it brings both robust flavor and bold strength to cocktails, an indispensable component for many a tropical libation.

Tasting Notes

Aromas of treacle and stone fruit compote are complimented by notes of dark cane syrup, marzipan, butter, black banana, spices and tobacco. On the palate, a small sip reveals the classic richness of an old wooden pot still from Demerara region, boldly delivering brown butter, intense dark fruit, tanned leather, earthiness and raisin over old oak. The finish is devine with long echoes of warm treacle and wood.

In addition to a fine component in cocktails, Pusser’s Select Aged 151 Overproof makes a first-rate dark rum floater on tall cocktails, providing an appealing dark crown that signifies an intrepidly authentic navy strength accent.

The Pusser’s Rum Legacy

Re-creating the legendary naval blend of rich dark rums for the modern era was a distinct challenge for the founders of Pusser’s Rum, and we find their blends succeed at expressing critical aspects of rum’s storied history.

The Pusser’s name represents a mutated slang pronunciation of the world purser — the officer onboard principally responsible for handling money and valuable cargo onboard, including the issue of the daily rum ration.

Pusser’s Rum Limited is a British Virgin Island Company with administrative offices in Charleston, South Carolina. Its products are imported into the United States by Shaw-Ross International Importers.

Pusser’s Select Aged 151 Overproof Rum, in the 750ml bottle sells for about $39.

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http://pussersrum.com/

Lost Spirits Cuban Style Rum from California

Tuesday, August 12, 2014 / Robert Burr / 0 Comments

Master Distiller Bryan Davis presents a richly flavorful and delightful expression — Lost Spirits Cuban Style Overproof Rum — suggesting the Cuban tradition of yesteryear.

Lost Spirits Cuban Style Overproof Rum by Bryan Davis

From Master Distiller Bryan Davis of Lost Spirits near Monterey, California, the new Cuban Style 151 overproof rum delivers a complex and delightful palate of flavors lead by butterscotch and vanilla notes.

Using Grade A confection quality molasses, this spirit features banana added to the yeast starter for enhanced nitrogen content during fermentation. A relatively short fermentation period at cooler temperatures delivers more subtlety during this initial process than Lost Spirits’ rich and robust Navy Style Rum.

The distillation method isolates the desired cut with high rectification to separate the more robust flavors often found in the tails. Toasted American Oak barrels impart a mild enhancement without overwhelming the subtle flavor profile. The master distiller’s goal was to keep this 151 proof rum quite sippable and smooth in spite of the high alcohol content.

Tasting Notes

Initial aromas of pound cake, rich butter and hard candy lead to warm cinnamon, vanilla bean and dry dates with an earthy vegetal note before big cedar and white oak. On the palate, a small sip is big in the mouth but not hot, revealing butterscotch, fresh bread dough and vanilla wafer with molasses glaze. The complex flavor profile evolves into pepper and grassy cane before finishing with tobacco and a hint of cassia bark well into the pleasant dry finish.

Once again, Lost Spirits Distillery delivers a very interesting rum expression that challenges the norm, arousing the interest of rum enthusiasts and challenging the notion that old aged rums are always the most intriguing examples within the wide category of rum.

Awards

Lost Spirits Navy Style Rum and Polynesian Inspired Rum have recently been recognized with awards of outstanding achievement. At the 2014 RumXP International Tasting Competition held during the 2014 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival in Miami, the Navy Style Rum won a Best In Class Award and gained a lot of attention around the globe.

This 75.5 abv overproof spirit sells for $37 and is available in limited areas of distribution.

Tag: Overproof Rum

Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number 1

Return To The Past with Rustic Rum

The Eclectic Package Design

Tasting Notes

Availability

Pusser’s Select Aged 151 Overproof Rum

Tasting Notes

The Pusser’s Rum Legacy

Lost Spirits Cuban Style Rum from California

Tasting Notes

Awards

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