The Islands of the Fraternal Order of Moai

Hi all,
I am going to the Lake Chapala area of Jalisco in early April to perform a wedding. I'll be hanging around the area for about ten days, and always like to check out local rum nerd possibilities. Are there any bars around there with a selection of rums? Obviously I'm not expecting anything to match the six world class rum bars in the Bay Area, but just somewhere that might have a few premium rums and a bartender who is familiar with them. Also, I should get into other spirits more than I do. I'll definitely try to check out a couple of tequila distilleries; any advice on some of the most interesting tours? Ideally closer to Chapala than the actual tequila heartland, but I'm open to anything. Is Lake Chapala a large enough body of water to have beach bars? Are there bars in the Ajijic/Chapala area which have good live music? For that matter, would anyone happen to know of any musicians in the area that I could book for a party that week (The bride has music booked for the reception and something else, but there are a couple of free days when I'd like to throw a more islandish party).
Thanks in advance, if any of you happen to know anything about the area.
Chiwito

Ahola chiwito,

I was in Chapala for a jazz festival about a year ago. It's a good sized lake, and a small town. I didn't really get much time there aside of the travel, sound check, etc., so I can't speak for the night life situation there. But as a fellow rum enthusiast, I'm happy to share a couple of great rums that I have found, from my state of Veracruz. One is Mocambo, produced in Cordoba. It's a really great very dark rum, somewhere between, say a Goslings and an Demerara. There's another one called El Ron Prohibido, also very dark, a Solera, that's a bit sweeter, a bit more vanilla and molasses. The real attraction, and I'm not sure how much of it you'll find in Chapala, is the mezcal. Being right next to Oaxaca, we get some of the most amazing, artisanal, small batch mezcal you can imagine.

I hope you enjoy your time there! Happy booze hunting!

Thank you your honor. (I'm not sure of the proper form of address for a Mayor of Exotica). I look forward to trying some of the local spirits, most tequila but also some mezcals that make it to Chapala. I am a fan of the Ron Prohibito, and the Mocambo is quite good also. Living in a metro area that is lucky enough to have no fewer than six of the top twenty five or so rum bars in the US, I have had great opportunities to taste a wide variety of rums from around the world, and you guys have a few of the best. I look forward to imbibing a bit of rum while I'm down by the lake.
Thanks,
Chiwito