Any rum lovers?

[ouch]

Time to enjoy a Mai Tai

Way ahead of you. Had a nice one yesterday.

Ouch International Mai Tai
1 oz El Dorado 8 yo demerara rum
1 oz Smith & Cross Jamaican rum
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand dry Curacao
1/2 oz orgeat syrup
1/2 oz John D. Taylor’s velvet falernum
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz float of Lemon Hart overproof rum

Shake first six ingredients plus spent lime shell with ice.
Strain into glass filled with fresh crushed ice.
Float overproof rum.

 

[The Knize]

Oh, heck yes! That is a nice Mai Tai recipe! I love Smith & Cross and falernum goes nice in most tiki-type drinks. The float absolutely necessary!

Crushed ice is a nice and probably authentic touch. Did you use a Lewis bag?

I meant to ask earlier if you "cheated" when making the orgeat and, if so, how?

 

[ouch]

Oh, heck yes! That is a nice Mai Tai recipe! I love Smith & Cross and falernum goes nice in most tiki-type drinks. The float absolutely necessary!

Crushed ice is a nice and probably authentic touch. Did you use a Lewis bag?

I meant to ask earlier if you "cheated" when making the orgeat and, if so, how?

My fridge makes crushed ice that’s good enough for me. Call me lazy.

My “cheat” when I’m out of orgeat and don’t have whole almonds on hand is sub-ghetto:
a splash of amaretto.
What can I say? I’m a barbarian.

 

[The Knize]

My “cheat” when I’m out of orgeat and don’t have whole almonds on hand is sub-ghetto:
a splash of amaretto.

Ha, we are replaying an exchange you and I had earlier where I was complaining I could not get my DIY orgeat to come out as flavorful as artisanal versions, and you suggested cheating by adding amaretto! So how did you make the orgeat? I have to be dong something wrong.

And actually, there is crushed ice and there is crushed ice, I guess. For me, a Lewis bag generally takes ice to a snow cone consistency, similar to shaved ice, which is not what I am looking for most of the time, although I recognize it is trad for some drinks. Mint juleps come to mind, but I think there are some tiki drinks for which it was traditional. (I suppose my technique could be off.)

 

[VerbaVolant]

Finally, had the chance to buy and try Bumbu Original rum. It is a huge disappointment for me.
Bumbu Original is a rum liqueur. Weak, overly sweet, overpowering fruity aroma and grossly overpriced.

Simply put, not my drink.

Oh, I will say it again, it is actually a rum liqueur. One could call it "spiced", if one means liqueur.

Luckily, my wife stepped in and promised to finish it for me.

 

[SharpieB]

I rarely drink rum at home, but when I travel to Cuba, Jamaica or Dominican on vacation, I drink it like water. More of a vacation drink for me, I guess.

I am more of a beer, wine, vodka, bourbon and tequila drinker at home.

 

[EMG06]

Two weeks ago I had the chance to try the 5 and 12 year old Real McCoy rums from Barbados. Both were very impressive examples of rum made traditionally without color or flavor additives. I particularly liked the flavors of the 5yr old rum. Sounds like it would represent a good alternative to that Bumbu mentioned above.

 

[old_school]

Just started sipping rum and quickly found out how wonderfully variable it is by maker and country. Lack of uniform regulation can be a good thing.

Apparently Jamaica, Barbados and Martinique forbid adjuncts to their rums. I suppose if one is sweetened from these countries it must labeled as such, but I didn't specifically find that in the research either. For instance something like Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva from Venezuela I would guess would have to indicate it is sweetened somehow if from these three countries.

That said I've gravitated to rums from these three places and currently am enjoying Appleton 8 Year Reserve over a couple of ice cubes. What a lovely sipping darker rum. I see why Jamaica and the tradition of pot still distillation makes them unique among rum producing countries.

Lot more research to do...

 

[Abz88]

My first trip to Jamaica (1978) my brother and I were hanging out with locals a lot because he wanted to score weed. We'd always ask "what's the best rum." The overwhelming response was Wray and Nephew Overproof. So, that's the one I always bought. Now that I'm not drinking, my wife buys Bacardi.

I went on a tour of the Appleton Estate when I visited Jamaica and there was a tasting at the end which included the ovenproof Wray and Nephew. The tour guides description of it was that its the most popular rum in Jamaica by a long way. They use it for everything from making rum punch to stripping paint and lighting their BBQs If you have a cold try taking a big sniff of it and your sinuses will instantly be cleared!

 

[Abz88]

The current Rums in my cupboard and one of my favourite mixers, Ting (even better with a splash of bitters!)

 

[12stones]

The current Rums in my cupboard and one of my favourite mixers, Ting (even better with a splash of bitters!)

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I haven’t had Ting in over 30 years. I bet it makes a great mixer. I don’t drink a lot of rum, but I always have a bottle of Goslings on hand for a Dark and Stormy.

 

[JCarr]

I just finished off a bottle of Diplomatico Reserva...so good...sweet. Time to buy another bottle. The Goslings will have to hold me over.

 

[Abz88]

I haven’t had Ting in over 30 years. I bet it makes a great mixer. I don’t drink a lot of rum, but I always have a bottle of Goslings on hand for a Dark and Stormy.

It's not available in as many shops, so ginger beer is my normal mixer, but when I get some Ting its my go to.

 

[Abz88]

Picked up a new bottle of an old friend today! I think I've only ever had this neat over ice.

 

[JCarr]

Picked up a new bottle of an old friend today! I think I've only ever had this neat over ice.

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Good stuff! Enjoy!