Three Ways To Make The Tropical Itch Cocktail

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Several times now we have gone back into the history of Tiki drinks to assess the distinction and evolution between recipes linked in lineage. We’ve recently discussed the differing approaches of Donn Beach and Trader Vic, but this week’s featured recipe actually focuses on the work of two important bartenders from further into the Tiki era, when the tropical mid-century phenomenon was in full swing. We’ll be looking at the interesting background of two recipes similar in format yet different in spec, from Joe Scialom and Harry Yee, respectively - a large, mango libation known as the Tropical Itch.

 The story of how the drinks of these coexisting bartenders share a name but differ notably in recipe is a wild one. In the wake of the tropical drinks cultural craze, all the big names in hospitality were trying to cash in. Barworld espionage, if perhaps less sinister, was just as active as any Cold War geopolitical intrigue. That’s precisely why so many Tiki bar managers of the era were so secretive when it came to their drinks’ ingredients. Tiki cocktail historian Jeff “Beachbum” Berry tells the intricacies of the Tropical Itch conundrum in his fantastic book, Potions of the Caribbean. Essentially both Joe Scialom and Harry Yee publicized a drink entitled Tropical Itch in 1957. The origin of the conundrum is that Joe Scialom was working as the bar manager at the Caribe Hilton at the time and Harry Yee was in the same position at the Hawaiian Village resort on Waikiki Beach. As Jeff Berry points out, Conrad Hilton went on to buy the Hawaiian Village in 1961 and the 1957 owner of the Hawaiian Village, Henry Keaiser, owned businesses in the Caribbean, so the potential for either boss to have deliberately commissioned their respective bar manager for a copycat drink is high. Yet it’s also impossible to confirm, so it technically could be that Scialom and Yee both came up with a large format, mango based, rum punch of the same name, at the same time, with thousands of miles of separation. Tiki history is full of both technicalities and mysteries, and this particular focus is a perfect example of both.

Another element of historical Tiki recipes that makes them such a joy to dive into is how well they lend themselves to experimentation with tweaked ratios and different rum blends. Particularly given how murky the origins of the Tropical Itch recipes are, modern enthusiasts are left with a great deal of creative license. With the curated selection of outstanding rums we have the pleasure to offer here at BayTowne, creative license to experiment with them is exactly what we like. For this approach to the Tropical Itch, we’re riffing off of Joe Scialom’s recipe. The rums are broken into three parts, with the primary player being Habitation Velier’s new release, Papalin High Ester, a boldly flavorful blend of particularly aromatic Jamaican rums. This is partnered with a portion of the Hamilton False Idol 151, which itself includes Jamaican rum as about 15% of the blend in conjunction with 85% Demerara. Finally, we opt for the one of a kind influence of one of our favorite Mexican producer’s Cartier 30 expression. Alambique Serrano’s second batch of this, bottled at 71.4%, is even more tropical fruit dominant than the previous batch and thus lends itself perfectly to this mango-forward cocktail. With this blend of rums, we opt to omit the vodka, and then go for the rum-based orange liqueur Clement Creole Shrubb rather than Grand Marnier. Finally, we’ve chosen to feature Bittermen’s Elemakule Tiki Bitters to change it up a bit from the classic Angostura.

The end result of this reworked spec is a delicious concert of wonderful rums. The Papalin High Ester brings mellow, rounded tropical fruit, with the bass note and earthy spice of the False Idol, and punchy, vibrant tropical fruit high notes from the Cartier 30. Partner those with the island spice complexity of the Creole Shrubb, cinnamon syrup, and Tiki bitters, and we have an adventure in a glass. Add in a bit of fire and the sparkle of flaming cinnamon and the scene is set!

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