Episode Eight - Ed Hamilton and Matt Strickland

This week on The Tiki Talk Show, Ryley and Ellie talk to Ed Hamilton, Administer of Rum, the man who brought Rhum Agricole to the US palate, and the legend behind the famed Hamilton Rums. This week’s artist spotlight is Matt Strickland aka Tikis by Savage Matt. His tiki lamps, wood carvings, and jewelry creations are all handmade in his home in Michigan.

Ed Hamilton is a man for whom Adventure is a way of life. When life expected Ed to conform to the societal standards that go along with being an engineer, Ed had other plans. His willingness to chase that spirit of adventure took him from Taiwan to Florida, from oil rigs to Caribbean shores. Ed quit his job and never looked back. Armed with a sailboat and a general idea of what was next, he was off. He made land in Martinique where he was exposed to high quality Rhum and from then on, was hooked. Ed began importing rum to the U.S. through a series of circumstances that seem better placed in a movie than a business deal that actually took place in Chicago. Ed is a defender of the spirit and will only ever import high-quality rums that he feels proud to put his name on. Ed knows that rum takes an introduction; he tells the industry that rum is worth their time, and then, Ed listens to them when they ask for a new rum in the market. This is in part of how Hamilton Rum came to be, he listened to bar staff, industry friends, bars, and even YouTubers when deciding what next to blend. Listen to Ellie and Ryley talk with Ed about the industry, the impact tiki has had on rum and what trends he is seeing in the rum world. 

You can find Ed on Instagram @edrumguy where he’ll post details about his weekly zoom calls where you can get a chance to talk to the man himself and other rum nerds. And be sure to check out his website ministryofrum.com as soon as that’s back up and running. 

Matt Strickland started in Tiki with a slow trickle and then a full flood! He got started out in the punk scene and then the rockabilly scene before finally landing in the tiki scene. Matt has been “marked” by tiki since the mid-90s by getting a tiki tattoo. In the early-2000s he built his own home bar, a true sign that tiki has taken a firm hold in your life. Matt is a multi-discipline artist: lamps, tikis, jewelry and more, Matt has done it. His early creations were tiki lamps with a unique construction style. After taking a break from tiki, Matt returned to the tiki scene ready to take on new challenges. He found wood carving to be the perfect outlet. Now, he’s expanded his repertoire once again to include resin tiki jewelry. And we can say from first-hand experience that they are fantastic pieces. Be sure to catch Matt at his vending events in the midwest with Tiki Inferno being tomorrow (6/14/25) and the Makahiki coming up in September in Indianapolis. 

You can find Matt on Instagram @tikis_by_savage_matt to view his art and see where he’ll be vending next.

Thank you for joining us on The Tiki Talk Show. If you are interested in being interviewed or highlighted as our artist spotlight, send us an email at [e-mail]. 

Click this link to fill out the Google Form and get on our postcard mailing list! You can see our new postcards and other fun swag on our Instagram @thetikitalkshow and see more of our tiki adventures @konacove_hometikibar. And check us out on Facebook at The Tiki Talk Show group to talk tiki with us.

-Ryley and Ellie