The Speakeasy’s Chata-tini delivers rum warmth in a chilled glass

What’s In that cocktail?

Fall flavors
Fri, 10/03/2014 - 10:45am

Story Location:
Park Street and Main Street
Rockland, ME 04841
United States

    ROCKLAND — At first, when Kathleen LaBree talks about her signature cocktail, it sounds like she’s saying “Chowdah-tini.” LaBree is co-owner of The Speakeasy and The Chowder House, both in Rockland at Park and Main.

    Given the name of her restaurant, that’s an easy mistake to make right? But no, she’s actually saying “Chata-tini,” named after the cocktail’s most prominent ingredient, Rum Chata, a Caribbean rum liqueur with natural dairy flavors. LaBree describes it as a “Caribbean flavored Bailey’s.”

    “It’s a wonderful after dinner drink, if you like your dessert in a glass,” she said. “Sort of like liquid cake.”

    LaBree designed this drink herself, which is a very warming drink even though it’s shaken with ice and served up in a martini glass.

    One of The Speakeasy’s most popular drinks, after one sip it tastes like a cold hot chocolate, with rum and amaretto flavors, plus a nip of cinnamon.

    (Side note: Remember how Cheers in Boston used to have a ground-level bar and a fancy restaurant upstairs? Not that many places have that combination anymore, but the Chowder House and the Speakeasy do!)

    To make this drink yourself at home, watch our accompanying video. The recipe also follows below.

    The Chata-tini

    • Start with a shaker of ice and add:
    • 2 ounces of Rum Chata
    • ½ ounce vanilla vodka
    • ½ ounce Amaretto di Saronno

    Wet the rim of the martini glass and dip into cinnamon sugar.

    Shake and strain into the martini glass. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

    To see all of our past “What’s In That Cocktail” series (with video!), check out our “Iconic Cocktails” resource page: The best craft cocktails in the Midcoast


    Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com