Dos Maderas Rides the Tiki Cocktail Wave with Custom Ceramic Mug

Dos Maderas’ artisanal rums represent the fusion of Caribbean and Spanish cultures. Now, Dos Maderas has added a third tradition — that is, “Tiki culture” — into the mix with a custom-designed, ceramic Tiki Wave Mug.

Playing on the kitschy-fun trend of Tiki cocktails, while paying respect to the Polynesian, Melanesian, and Micronesian cultures of the South Pacific that influenced them, the Tiki Wave Mug recalls big surfing, island beaches, and ocean journeys.

The Origin of Tiki Culture

“Tiki culture” refers to the western adaptation of Polynesian culture as a source of escapism. Though the trend started in the 1930s, it really took off after World War II, thanks to Ernest Raymond Beaumount-Gantt, better known as “Donn Beach.”

While serving in the Air Force, Beach traveled to several tropical locales in the South Pacific. Once back home, he was inspired to bring the paradisal island vibes to the United States. He began opening “Tiki bars” and creating a slew of cocktails featuring rum, citrus, tropical ingredients, and fun garnishes — like the iconic tiny umbrellas.

Inspired by Beach, as well as his personal travels, Victor Bergeron (aka “Trader Vic”) founded his own Tiki bars and restaurants. Today, Beach and Trader Vic are considered the fathers of Tiki culture. Their example launched many more tropical-themed establishments and cocktail recipes, along with gastronomic fusions like Chinese-American food.

Creating Dos Maderas’ Tiki Wave Mug

To design the ultimate “Tiki” glass, Dos Maderas enlisted Middlechild Studios, an independent, women-owned small business based in Massachusetts. The team had a simple, but beautifully symbolic, goal for the mug: to embody the same cultural duality as Dos Maderas rum.

Dos Maderas means “two woods” — a nod to the two types of wood maturation the rum undergoes and the “two worlds” it calls home. The rum starts its journey in Guyana and Barbados, where it is distilled from cane sugar and aged in ex-Bourbon casks amid the tropical heat. Next, the rum sails to Spain’s Jerez de la Frontera, where it enjoys further aging in a traditional solera system typically used for Sherries. This globe-spanning, dual-aging process is key to Dos Maderas’ uncompromising quality.

Beyond its clear association with “Tiki culture” — itself a blend of western and Polynesian traditions — the Tiki Wave Mug also connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The curling ceramic wave and boat topper represent the dramatic journey Dos Maderas rum takes across the Atlantic Ocean before it happily arrives in a Pacific-inspired tiki glass and cocktail.

With the wave design, Dos Maderas also pays tribute to the cultural significance that surfing has for South Pacific cultures. For instance, the term “Tiki” translates to “first man” in Māori, and surfing was far more than the sport it has become today. Surfing was an act of worship to Kanaloa, the God of the Oceans and the Underworld. Similarly, the Hawaiian word for surfing is “he’e nalu” (or “wave sliding”), and everyone in society — men and women, young and old, commoners and royalty — were encouraged to surf as part of their spiritual practices.

Built to Serve Tropical, Rum-Based Cocktails

Dos Maderas’ Tiki Wave Mug was specifically designed for serving rum-forward cocktails. Not only does it look the part, its three core features are intended to elevate the cocktail-sipping experience.

First, the ceramic wave base can hold up to 500ml / 16.9oz of volume, which allows for greater space to incorporate spirits, juices, sweeteners, as well as crushed or cracked ice. Next, the boat topper has ample room to hold a variety of cocktail cargo. Load it up with adornments like flowers or garnishes, such as fresh fruits or mint leaves. Finally, the bamboo straw is reusable and features a removable sail that proudly bears the Dos Maderas logo.

All that’s left to do is grab a bottle of Dos Maderas rum and pick which cocktail to make first! Here are six delicious ideas that go beyond the usual Mai Tai or Piña Colada:

1. Nui Nui: Invented by Donn Beach himself, this is a classic “Tiki” cocktail that’s inspired several other recipes.
2. The Big Bamboo: Part of the second generation of Tiki cocktails, which originated at the famous Mai-Kai restaurant in the 1950s.
3. Navy Grog: An easy-to-blend, citrusy cocktail that’s a natural fit for the Dos Maderas Tiki Wave Mug.
4. Jungle Bird: Created in the 1970s, this bitter cocktail is best enjoyed with a pineapple garnish and demands a “go big or go home” presentation.
5. Rum Runner: A cocktail inspired by rum smugglers, who used boats to move their wares across the sea.
6. Krakatoa: This flaming tropical cocktail is named for the legendary volcanic explosion that rocked the world…and caused tsunamis. Keep in mind, of course, that the bamboo straw and sail are flammable.