Post #281602 by Chip and Andy on Mon, Jan 29, 2007 5:10 AM

On 2007-01-27 07:35, GentleHangman wrote:
...but you've only got $40 to spend on the rum....

Well, this one is always the fun question because everyone has a different set of 'requirements' for thier rums. Here are a few tips that may or may not help:

The Mai-Tai was built to show off a single excellent rum. That rum is no longer available, so we now as standard practice mix two rums to try and balance the strengths and weaknesses of each. But, if you have a single excellent rum then by all means make your Mai-Tai with just the one rum.

This goes more for you home bar and less specifically to the Mai-Tai.... Buy the best you can afford always. If you are making drinks at home there is no reason you shouldn't be pouring the best you can afford. Even if you use Beachbum Berry's $100 recipe, your cost per drink is between $4 and $5 each, much less than you would spend at a bar and you get a much better drink. And, if buying the best you can afford excludes that 21 year old bottle of Appletons, well I like the Estate VX better anyway.

Now, having said all that..... If you are limited on funds but want to make a killer Mai-Tai; try Appleton Estate VX (black label). My second suggestion would be Mount Gay "Extra Old" or if you can find it try El Dorado 15 year Demerera. I like each of those poured as a single rum in a Mai-Tai and each comes in at under $40 at my local markets.

Try a few different rums as a single pour in a Mai-Tai and share with us what you discover.