Post #287139 by Swanky on Wed, Feb 21, 2007 8:57 AM

First, I gotta say, don't add mint to the drink. I'm not just being a purist here.

The mint as a garnish is to be smelled. I usually rub the leaves between my fingers a bit to get the scent going.

I say not to add it to the drink for the simple reason that scent is very connected to taste. When working on new recipes, you can smell things together and get a very good idea of how they will taste together. When you smell the mint, you really are tasting it. The drink will taste differently without the mint or without smelling it.

If you literally add it to the beverage, you are changing the balance. You are pushing the mint too far out front. The good rum ought to be out front. All those flavors need to balance out.

Certainly, people like mint. People like sweet. You may add mint or more simple syrup, etc. But, that's not really a Mai Tai. Make a Mojito for the full on mint flavor. Smell the mint deeply as you sip a Mai Tai instead of putting it in the drink itself.

Or, for the other example, try drinking your next cocktail with your nose pinched closed and see how little you taste. That will show you how much your nose makes the drink taste good.