Marius and I recently went to San Francisco and of course while we were there, we stopped by the now legendary tiki bar Smuggler’s Cove. Since opening in 2009 Smuggler’s Cove has been a go to destination for Tiki and Cocktail enthusiasts, it boasts 550+ Rums, Three Levels and a TON of Hawaiian and Polynesian Kitch, basically what you would expect from a tiki bar, and it is all housed in a pretty small and intimate space. The bartenders are welcoming and the menu is extensive. It is a place I could nerd out on and get lost in for a long long long time. Smuggler’s Cove was also listed as one of the 50 Best Bars in the world every year from 2011-2016.
So to celebrate our inaugural trip to Smuggler’s Cove I decided to bring you the original Tiki drink featured on the front cover of their book which you should all buy and read! The Expedition is a Martin Cate Original Cocktail inspired by Donn The Beachcomber alum Mariano Licundine’s citrus and coffee forward drink the Black Magic. Licundine created the drink for the Mai Kai Tiki bar and restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In the Martin Cate version of this drink, full disclosure, he uses Bittermen’s New Orleans Coffee Liqueur to tie the drink into the Beachcomber’s home town but I didn’t have any on hand and I like Mr. Black better.
Smuggler’s Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum, and the Cult of Tiki
Barfly Copper Measuring Cup
Bar Ice Scoop
Hamilton Beach Pro Drink Mixer
If you guys want to check out our full amazon store you can do so here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/theeducatedbarfly
Expedition – From Smuggler’s Cove
Ingredients
- 2 oz Jamaica Rum Dark
- 1 oz Bourbon
- .25 oz Coffee Liqueur
- 1 oz Lime Juice
- .5 oz Honey Syrup
- .5 oz Cinnamon Syrup
- .25 oz Vanilla Syrup
Garnish
- Mint Sprig
- Dehydrated Lime Wheel
- Orchid Flower
Instructions
- Add ingredients to tin
- Add shaking ice
- Shake 8-10 Seconds
- Strain into mug
- Pack with crushed ice
- Garnish with Mint Sprig, Dehydrated Lime Wheel and Orchid Flowers
Love the Cocktail. I’m making it this week to kickoff a DnD campaign that starts off as a jungle expedition.
Is this cocktail supposed to be really sweet? If not, my syrups may be a little sweet for these specs but its very tasty non-the-less. Any recommendations on how adjust the sweetness of the cocktail without losing the flavors from the syrups?
What are the ratios you use for your syrups? It should not be overly sweet, it should be nicely balanced.
Awesome channel, so happy to be a youtube member. You’ve truly made my quarantine.
I not typically a tiki fan, but I live right down the street from SC, and have been inspired lately. Their book is a masterpiece.
That said, it’s a little intimidating. Maybe this a video idea, maybe a community post, but I’m sure that others, along with me, would love your thoughts on how to build out a rum collection for these kinds of cocktails. I started to sort through their 3 pages of rum list, but is there a short cut to recognize which are “good quality rums that don’t break the bank” that fall into their numbered categories of Rum? Do you have any suggestions?
fantastic drink, evocative of the tropics in the way Tiki should be. it’s like the four ‘sweet’ ingredients of the rum punch formula comprise an entire jungle ecosystem, and the whiskey is a touch of genius. you don’t even need top shelf bottles, this is great with Myers/Jim