Sailor Jerry. Spiced Navy Rum. It’s quite a story: sit down, pour yourself a glass.
Sailor Jerry: from tattoos to rum
It all started with Norman Keith Collins. A teenager in search of adventures… Hitchhiking and train hopping, he found his way to Chicago, where he met the local tattoo legend, Gib ‘Tatts’ Thomas and learnt the trade from him. Not ready to settle down yet, he joined the navy, finally putting his suitcase down in Honolulu.
This was not about alohas and palm trees though. With WWII in full beat, thousands of American soldiers would be allowed a little shore leave on the island. Most rushed to Hotel Street, lined with bars, brothels and tattoo parlours. Collins, by then known as Sailor Jerry, set up shop there, creating iconic designs of sailors, eagles, pin-ups, dice, anchors, Hawaiian themes… A little something to remind you who you are, no matter what life (or war) brings your way, a way to rebel against it all, bright coloured ink giving added bravery.
He left his parlour, upon his death, to his protégés, Don Ed Hardy and Mike Malone. Wishing to keep Sailor Jerry’s legacy alive and kicking, they designed a range of products featuring his patterns. And Caribbean Rum blended with natural spices, perfect for old school cocktails…. The latest limited-edition bottle pays tribute to the artist’s tattooing days in World War II Hawaii.
Sailor Jerry’s Open House
Clear your agenda! You may have heard Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum’s statement Hula Girl was spotted around Glasgow on February 15th. She stopped at iconic landmarks like the Equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington. This marked the opening of Jerry’s Open House, a creative pop-up which will be running in town until March 15th. What a better tribute to Sailor Jerry than bringing local creatives, musicians and students together? The event calendar includes acoustic gig with Frank Carter (21st Feb), an art competition (26th Feb) and a chance for budding rock stars to enter Glasgow Unsigned to win a blow-your-mind prize including a professional music video and personalised photo shoot (15th Mar). Even better: each event costs only £5… For more information, check out Sailor Jerry’s (rather cool) Facebook page.
Raise a glass to Sailor Jerry
Being a tattooed girl myself, I could not help but raise a toast to Sailor Jerry. Ginger works particularly well with this rum’s natural blend of cinnamon, clove and vanilla… Give this a try:
- 1 part Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
- ¼ part fresh lime juice
- ¼ part ginger syrup
- 3 parts apple juice
It just takes a few minutes to mix. It’s bold, smooth – quite a wonderful boost… Best served with candied ginger on the side! Cheers 🙂
