{"id":1197,"date":"2011-08-10T02:49:57","date_gmt":"2011-08-10T06:49:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.slammie.com\/atomicgrog\/blog\/?p=1197"},"modified":"2025-07-17T22:02:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T02:02:09","slug":"mai-kai-cocktail-review-drink-like-a-native-with-the-shrunken-skull","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.slammie.com\/atomicgrog\/blog\/2011\/08\/10\/mai-kai-cocktail-review-drink-like-a-native-with-the-shrunken-skull\/","title":{"rendered":"Mai-Kai cocktail review: Drink like a native with the deadly Shrunken Skull"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated October 2023<\/em>
\nSee below:<\/b> Our Shrunken Skull review<\/a> | Ancestor recipe<\/a>
\nOfficial recipe<\/a> | Tribute recipe<\/a> | Bonus recipes<\/a>
\nRelated:<\/b> Shrunken Pumpkin Head is a sinister, seasonal spin on the classic<\/a>
\n• Mai-Kai cocktail guide<\/a><\/p>\n

Our expedition through the mysterious tropical drink selection at The Mai-Kai takes a dangerous turn with another mid-century classic from the menu’s “STRONG!” offerings.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Shrunken Skull, served in the Abelam mug in May 2012. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tongue-in-cheek drinks lionizing primitivism were common during Tiki’s golden age. The ominous Shrunken Skull and its variations were among the most infamous. The idea was to conjure up a sense of danger lurking in your local tropical getaway. Classic Tiki bars offer the ultimate escape from the mundane day-to-day existence, and every island adventure needs a little bit of macabre yet kitschy risk-taking.<\/p>\n

In this case, the danger lies in the strong rums that permeate this deadly concoction. The Shrunken Skull is one of only two current Mai-Kai drinks that feature a rum floater (a shot of rum added to your drink as it’s served). Not coincidentally, the other also comes with an element of danger attached to its name: the Shark Bite<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Shrunken Skull is also one of only a handful of Mai-Kai cocktails to come in its own custom mug, originally a vintage shrunken head design<\/a> by Al Kocab.<\/a> The artist had his hand in many projects at The Mai-Kai, from furniture to advertising design.<\/a><\/p>\n

It was replaced some time in the 1980s by a modern version<\/a> based on Kocab’s design that remains to this day. The modern version features the details painted under the glaze, while the vintage version has the details painted over the glaze.<\/p>\n

\"Our<\/a>
Our collection includes Mai-Kai Shrunken Skull mugs from the 1960s (left), 1970s and 1980s. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The above links and info come courtesy of My Tiki Life<\/a>, a website featuring a user-generated database of mugs past and present. This highly recommended resource is so robust, in fact, it lists nearly 300 mugs (as of October 2023) with a tag of “skull.”<\/a> Featuring photos, designer and manufacturer info, plus a full description of the mugs, mytiki.life is essential even if you don’t register as a member.<\/p>\n

In recent years, the Shrunken Skull is also often served in a modern Abelam mug<\/a>, which features a mask-like design of the Abelam people who live in the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. The original was also designed by Kocab.<\/p>\n

Both mugs have a handle, which is atypical of most Tiki mugs. It’s usually an indication that the mug does double-duty on the dessert menu as a vessel for hot coffee drinks. At The Mai-Kai, the current Abelam mug also can be enjoyed with an after-dinner classic, the flaming Kona Coffee Grog<\/a>. The Shrunken Skull mug is also used for the Tahitian Coffee<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When the restaurant reopens in 2024,<\/a> look for both mugs in the gift shop, aka The Mai-Kai Trading Post.<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A Shrunken Head mug created for The Hukilau 2017 by Tiki Tony and Eekum Bookum in tribute to the South Seas artifacts on display at The Mai-Kai. (TikiTony.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For a fascinating look at the history of these unique mugs, check out the vintage images<\/a> on the official site for Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant,<\/em><\/a> the 2016 book about The Mai-Kai by Tim “Swanky” Glazner.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the coolest Mai-Kai mug produced in recent years is the Shrunken Head created by Tiki Tony<\/a> for The Hukilau 2017 and produced by John Mulder and Eekum Bookum<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The shrunken head that Tiki Tony’s mug pays homage to has nothing to do with a cocktail, though it’s probably even more fascinating. Of course, it’s a replica of one of the shrunken heads on display in The Mai-Kai’s secluded Samoa dining room (see photo below). Samoa is one of the restaurant’s original dining rooms from 1956, and the infamous shadowboxes have been in place as long as anyone can remember.<\/a>
\n* Samoa Room 2023 refurbishment<\/a><\/p>\n

Since nobody who worked at the restaurant in 1956 is still around, it’s been open to conjecture whether or not the skulls and other artifacts are authentic. Owners Bob and Jack Thornton famously traveled the South Seas collecting native artwork and cultural pieces. Many of those items were deemed to be art pieces too valuable to insure and were removed after a major renovation in 1971.<\/p>\n

In 1974, the Thorntons donated their collection to their alma mater, Stanford University, where its now part of the Oceania collection.<\/a> Some of that collection was on display at the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale in 2010. The shrunken heads and Samoa room shadowboxes remained in place, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not authentic artifacts.<\/p>\n

\"One<\/a>
One of the shadow boxes in the Samoa room at The Mai-Kai that contains art pieces including shrunken skulls. (Photo by Sven Kirsten, December 2016)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The closest we’ve come to an answer on the origin of those items came during a 2017 interview with Bob Van Oosting and LeRoy Schmaltz<\/a> of Oceanic Arts<\/a> in Whittier, Calif. These legends of mid-century Tiki bar artwork supply were responsible for outfitting much of The Mai-Kai’s original decor that the Thornton brothers didn’t personally acquire.<\/p>\n

In an episode of Inside the Desert Oasis Room<\/a> with Adrian Eustaquio, the duo remembered filling those original orders for The Mai-Kai. They said Oceanic Arts imported many primitive art items from Polynesia and sold quite a few to The Mai-Kai. In the interview, Van Oosting and Schmaltz recalled shipping a skull pierced by an arrow, an item that came from New Guinea via an exporter who did dredging work on the island. These shipments were addressed to “Dr. Van Oosting” and “Dr. Schmaltz” to avoid scrutiny by customs officials, they said. This isn’t 100 percent proof, but it sure sounds like the skulls are the real deal.
\n* Click here to listen to the podcast<\/a> (The Mai-Kai discussion starts at 34:18)<\/p>\n

Other cocktails at The Mai-Kai get more recognition from critics and applause from fans. But the Shrunken Skull is near the top of the list of iconic status for its distinctive quality and impeccable theming. With interest in horror and the macabre growing, so does the allure of the Skull. A couple even dressed as a pair of Shrunken Skulls<\/a> at the Hulaween party in October 2017. <\/a><\/p>\n

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The official menu description<\/i><\/p>\n

\"Shrunken<\/a>
\nSHRUNKEN SKULL<\/b><\/p>\n

Dangerous and deadly.<\/p>\n

Okole Maluna Society review and rating<\/b><\/p>\n

Size:<\/b> Medium<\/p>\n

Potency:<\/b> Strong<\/p>\n

Flavor profile:<\/b> Strong and rich rums, tart pomegranate grenadine, a touch of sweetness, hints of spice.<\/p>\n

Review:<\/b> High-octane and potent, yet also fruity and dry. Rich and flavorful with a punch of spicy and tart notes to keep things in balance.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Shrunken Skull served in the shrunken head mug in September 2016. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rating:<\/b> 4 out of 5 stars
\n(see how it ranks)<\/a><\/p>\n

Ancestry:<\/b> The Shrunken Skull has been on The Mai-Kai’s cocktail menu since its debut in 1956, when drinks with the same name were mainstays on many Tiki bar menus. Most followed the simple recipe that Jeff “Beachbum” Berry<\/a> later published in his 1998 tropical drink bible, Grog Log<\/em>. However, further research revealed that the true ancestor was likely a drink known as the Skull & Bones, an early staple of Don the Beachcomber (aka Donn Beach), the Tiki bar torch-bearer whose menu served as a template for The Mai-Kai. Another bar with a Don the Beachcomber pedigree, the Tiki-Ti in Los Angeles,<\/a> has served their version of the Skull & Bones since opening in 1961. Berry finally revealed Donn Beach’s Skull & Bones recipe in the 10th anniversary edition of Sippin’ Safari<\/i><\/a> in 2017 (see below)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Bilge:<\/b> Classic Tiki drinks have begun to inspire a new generation of musicians, such as The Hangmen, who penned the catchy Shrunken Skull Stomp<\/em>. Crank up this deadly ditty<\/a> while you indulge in the following recipes.<\/p>\n

Agree or disagree? Share your reviews and comments below!<\/a><\/b>
\n

<\/div> <\/a><\/p>\n
**************************<\/strong><\/div>\n

ANCESTOR RECIPE
\nSkull & Bones<\/strong>
\n(From Beachbum Berry’s Sippin’ Safari<\/i><\/a>, 10th anniversary edition)<\/p>\n

\"Skull<\/a>
Skull & Bones by The Atomic Grog, March 2018. Skull mug by Tiki Diablo for Death Or Glory, Delray Beach, Fla. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n