Mai Tai with Zaya Rum??? - Tiki Drinks and Food

C CincyTikiCraig Tiki Socialite Cincinnati, Ohio USA Joined: Mar 31, 2009 Posts: 466	C CincyTikiCraig Posted posted on Sat, Jul 11, 2009 1:18 AM I've used the Ron Zacapa Centenario 23-year-old Solera Rum to make an outstanding, over the top Mai Tai. Considering that Vic originally used 17 year old J. Wray Nephew Jamaican rum to make his original, perhaps it's not that over the top. If your going to use a quality rum like Zaya, use a quality Triple Sec like Cointreau. Gents, nothing will improve your Mai Tai more than using a good quality Orange Curaçao, which is what Vic used originally. At the time, the '40's & '50's, Vic used DeKuyper Orange Curaçao which was then imported from the Netherlands. Unfortunately today DeKuyper is a shadow if its former self. It's made by Jim Beam and is actually rectified right here in Cincinnati, Ohio. It's as cheap (as in bad, not inexpensive) a liqueur as any you can buy. I would recommend using one of two Curaçaos for Mai Tai's (and other cocktails for that matter): Senior Curaçao of Curaçao. The world's only authentic Orange Curaçao, which is made on the island of Curaçao. Senior is the last Curaçao made from the rare Laraha variety of orange, which is the original varietal used to make Curaçao. Marie Brizard Orange Curaçao. Excellent French brand of cordials, their Curaçao is made from bitter-orange peel and is blended on a cognac base. Excellent quality here. I know that these brands are somewhat expensive ( $22-$26 on average) and a little hard to find, but consider this: If you are going to pour rums that cost $30, $40 or even $50+ into a Mai Tai, why would you want to short change those rums with a cheap orange liqueur? Remember that the quality of your cocktail is only as good as it's weakest link, and if that weakest link is a bad orange liqueur, you are wasting your money pouring those good rums into that cocktail. Cheers, Craig [ Edited by: CincyTikiCraig 2009-07-11 01:22 ]

I've used the Ron Zacapa Centenario 23-year-old Solera Rum to make an outstanding, over the top Mai Tai. Considering that Vic originally used 17 year old J. Wray Nephew Jamaican rum to make his original, perhaps it's not that over the top.

If your going to use a quality rum like Zaya, use a quality Triple Sec like Cointreau.

Gents, nothing will improve your Mai Tai more than using a good quality Orange Curaçao, which is what Vic used originally. At the time, the '40's & '50's, Vic used DeKuyper Orange Curaçao which was then imported from the Netherlands. Unfortunately today DeKuyper is a shadow if its former self. It's made by Jim Beam and is actually rectified right here in Cincinnati, Ohio. It's as cheap (as in bad, not inexpensive) a liqueur as any you can buy. I would recommend using one of two Curaçaos for Mai Tai's (and other cocktails for that matter):

Senior Curaçao of Curaçao. The world's only authentic Orange Curaçao, which is made on the island of Curaçao. Senior is the last Curaçao made from the rare Laraha variety of orange, which is the original varietal used to make Curaçao.
Marie Brizard Orange Curaçao. Excellent French brand of cordials, their Curaçao is made from bitter-orange peel and is blended on a cognac base. Excellent quality here.

I know that these brands are somewhat expensive ( $22-$26 on average) and a little hard to find, but consider this: If you are going to pour rums that cost $30, $40 or even $50+ into a Mai Tai, why would you want to short change those rums with a cheap orange liqueur? Remember that the quality of your cocktail is only as good as it's weakest link, and if that weakest link is a bad orange liqueur, you are wasting your money pouring those good rums into that cocktail.

Cheers,

Craig

[ Edited by: CincyTikiCraig 2009-07-11 01:22 ]

Post #468250 by CincyTikiCraig on Sat, Jul 11, 2009 1:18 AM