Ben Schaffer

Mai Tais galore. Photo by Winston Rodney.

Masters of the Mai Tai: A Discussion at Jungle Bird, Part 2

Moderated by Ben Schaffer Aug. 12, 2020

On March 11, 2020, we gathered a panel of experts at New York’s Jungle Bird for an evening of Mai Tai marvel. Then, on March 22, the state’s pandemic stay-at-home order came into effect. These events … Read More

Torches and tikis. Illustration by Pearl Shen.

Masters of the Mai Tai: A Discussion at Jungle Bird, Part 1

Moderated by Ben Schaffer Aug. 11, 2020

Don’t worry, we’re not done with the Daiquiri. But there is another classic rum cocktail that merits a turn, …

Dale DeGroff and Audrey Saunders behind the stick at Blackbird. Illustration by Sayada Ramdial.

The Local: How Dale DeGroff’s Epochal Blackbird Revitalized Cocktail Culture

By Ben Schaffer Jul. 28, 2020

Dale DeGroff’s centrality to the revival of cocktails in the United States is undisputed. His tenure as bar …

Hampden Estate rum in its native state. Photo courtesy La Maison & Velier.

The Birth (and Rebirth) of Rum Brands

By Ben Schaffer May. 15, 2019

Though it was founded in 1753, Jamaica’s Hampden Estate distillery only this year issued the first aged rum …

Manolito's Maggie Morgan and her blenders.

Manolito: Frolicking in Frosty Focus

By Ben Schaffer Feb. 12, 2019

As cocktail revivalists have sought to rebuild their temples to temptation, they’ve necessarily delved into …

Blackwell Rum on the GoldenEye patio. Courtesy Blackwell Rum.

Chris Blackwell: An Oracabessa of the Mind

By Ben Schaffer Dec. 11, 2018

“There’s definitely a kind of magic about Jamaica,” Chris Blackwell told me as we sat in the front room of his …

Announcing the Rum Reader’s Advisory Board

By Ben Schaffer Nov. 15, 2018

The launch of the Rum Reader as a new voice for rum is an ambitious project, and we’re gratified for all the …

Ben Schaffer

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