traader vic's rums? - Tiki Drinks and Food

T thejab Grand Member (1 year) Tradewinds Apartments, Alameda, CA Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 2992	T thejab Posted posted on Tue, Dec 24, 2002 2:35 PM bigbrotiki wrote: "I was a little dissappointed that none of the new TV rums capture the rich flavour of dark rums like Myer's or Demarara rums like Lemonhart. They have that modern, Bacardi-like subtle taste, more like alcohol, less like old barrels." Although I agree that barrel-aged full flavor rums taste better and are a must for any home bar, I think the light flavored rums like Bacardi are necessary for mixing. Most tropical drink recipies in the Grog Log and Intoxica use them and I think it would be a waste of fine rum to use it in all cocktails. It would be nice if Trader Vic started to market fine rums as well, but I welcome their alternatives to Bacardi for mixing purposes (especially if they are cheaper and of better quality). In Intoxica, the Virgin Island rums like Cruzan are touted as another alternative to Bacardi. Several tropical drinks do call for Demarara rum and Myers' (Myers' actually gets it's dark color and flavor from the addition of caramel coloring, not from oak barrel aging like most dark rums). The Don the Beachcomber recipes in the new book often call for good Jamaican rum like Myers' platinum and Appleton Estate. I often use Rhum St. James from Martinique for my Mai Tais to try to make them taste like the original. And I love Havana Club from Cuba in daiquiris and other simple rum cocktails. But in general I save my barrel-aged rums for sipping. It seems that back in the 70s as mixed drinks took over in popularity that's when good rum became hard to get. But since the cocktail culture revolution there are more choices now than in a long time, as more and more people are discovering fine rums.

bigbrotiki wrote:
"I was a little dissappointed that none of the new TV rums capture the rich flavour of dark rums like Myer's or Demarara rums like Lemonhart. They have that modern, Bacardi-like subtle taste, more like alcohol, less like old barrels."

Although I agree that barrel-aged full flavor rums taste better and are a must for any home bar, I think the light flavored rums like Bacardi are necessary for mixing. Most tropical drink recipies in the Grog Log and Intoxica use them and I think it would be a waste of fine rum to use it in all cocktails. It would be nice if Trader Vic started to market fine rums as well, but I welcome their alternatives to Bacardi for mixing purposes (especially if they are cheaper and of better quality). In Intoxica, the Virgin Island rums like Cruzan are touted as another alternative to Bacardi.

Several tropical drinks do call for Demarara rum and Myers' (Myers' actually gets it's dark color and flavor from the addition of caramel coloring, not from oak barrel aging like most dark rums). The Don the Beachcomber recipes in the new book often call for good Jamaican rum like Myers' platinum and Appleton Estate. I often use Rhum St. James from Martinique for my Mai Tais to try to make them taste like the original. And I love Havana Club from Cuba in daiquiris and other simple rum cocktails. But in general I save my barrel-aged rums for sipping.

It seems that back in the 70s as mixed drinks took over in popularity that's when good rum became hard to get. But since the cocktail culture revolution there are more choices now than in a long time, as more and more people are discovering fine rums.

Post #17215 by thejab on Tue, Dec 24, 2002 2:35 PM