On 2016-01-27 15:22, swizzle wrote:

On 2016-01-27 10:08, Warboys wrote:
Got these to kick off my new hobby.

Now what you do is make a Mai Tai with;

Mount Gay/Bacardi
Mount Gay/Smith & Cross
Mount Gay/Appleton's
Mount Gay/Myer's
Mount Gay/Clement
Mount Gay/ Flor De Cana

and then;

Bacardi/Smith & Cross
Bacardi/Appleton's
Bacardi/Myer's
etc, etc,

until you go through every combination and then you can decide for yourself which combination YOU think works the best.

This sounds fun :wink:

At what point does a Mai Tai stop being a Mai Tai? The recipe I've got calls for Dark Jamaican + Amber Martinique, but I suppose if I use the combinations above it's just Jamaican. Is that still a Mai Tai?

It stops becoming a Mai Tai as soon as you start adding, pineapple juice, orange juice, grenadine, etc. As long as you stick to the original recipe what rums you use are irrelevant (although some might disagree with me there).

When Trader Vic first made the Mai Tai he only used one rum. When he could no longer get that particular rum he started trying combinations of rums to find something to match the flavour profile of the original one he used. He ended up with a Jamaican/Martinique combination. You have the Clement there, so then that is your Martinique component of the drink. Now you try it with each other rum as i mentioned above. Just because the original uses a Jamaican that doesn't mean it's going to be the combination that YOU like best. The Mount Gay, Bacardi and Flor De Cana are from three different countries and you might like it with one of those better than a Jamaican.

And for the record, even though the Smith & Cross and the Myers are Jamaican, the Appletons is actually the brand Trader Vic used in the original recipe (although a different vintage), so that is going to give you the closest approximation of the 'true' Mai Tai.

[ Edited by: swizzle 2016-01-28 02:43 ]

On 2016-01-27 23:41, Warboys wrote:

This sounds fun :wink:

At what point does a Mai Tai stop being a Mai Tai? The recipe I've got calls for Dark Jamaican + Amber Martinique, but I suppose if I use the combinations above it's just Jamaican. Is that still a Mai Tai?

I think it's time for this video to get an airing again - try as many combos as you like :wink:

I love "Paper Plane", so I bought the bottles and will make it at home. Also liked that barrel that the Pyrat came in so I bought it, it should look good in my nautical setting. Chinese bitters, don't have a clue but bought it anyways.

Ever read something on here, realise you could have contributed something non tiki?

Following Hiltiki's lead: Over the winter I've been drinking less rum but have been exploring the brown bittered stirred category. Here are my recent purchases:

Punt e Mes
Cocchi vermouth del Torino
Razamotti
Bittermens Xocolatl Mole bitters
Cynar

• Punt e Mes isn't all that vermouth like, it's more amaro like - don't fear it, try it!
• Cocchi vermouth del Torino is a sublime vermouth but doesnt stand up to whisky like other vermouths do.
• Razamotti - disgusting stuff, lucky I only brought 2 minis!
• Bittermens Xocolatl Mole bitters - great in a Boulevardier or imitating the Conference cocktail at home. recommended :)

Hiltiki, I quite like the Cynar. I wasn't such a fan of the Little Italy (a little too cloying) but the Cynar Toronto is good. I was quite surprised that when you stir it down the majority of the bitter edge goes & it ends up being quite rich & flavoursome. Please send some suggestions my way if you have some!

On 2016-01-29 23:16, hiltiki wrote:

I love "Paper Plane", so I bought the bottles and will make it at home. Also liked that barrel that the Pyrat came in so I bought it, it should look good in my nautical setting. Chinese bitters, don't have a clue but bought it anyways.

Hilda, wats dat Pyrat barrel made of and where did you get it?
Mahalo

The barrel is from Hi time Liquor, I got it last Saturday after Don the beach event. They were around 20 dollars each.
Adam, regarding Cynar, I will send you recipes as soon as I find some I like and I make it, I have not yet. :drink:

I pretty much use Cynar in anything calling for an amaro.

adoradam- i quite like the ramazzoti.

On 2016-01-30 19:30, hiltiki wrote:
The barrel is from Hi time Liquor, I got it last Saturday after Don the beach event. They were around 20 dollars each.
Adam, regarding Cynar, I will send you recipes as soon as I find some I like and I make it, I have not yet. :drink:

Mahalo

I heard it was rare...

Plus some Barbancourt 8 because it was recommended as a decent alternative to Clement.

[ Edited by: Warboys 2016-02-01 10:29 ]

Nice score, Warboys! You're going to like both LH151 and the Barbancourt. I use the Barbancourt 5, and the Barbancourt 8 is likely also a home-run.

On 2016-01-30 20:08, thePorpoise wrote:
adoradam- i quite like the ramazzoti.

Really? Yuk!

I'm kidding but it's not to my taste in the drinks I tried - I've still got an 3/4 ounce left from my 2 minis. Suggest a recipe?

On 2016-02-01 10:29, Warboys wrote:
I heard it was rare...

Plus some Barbancourt 8 because it was recommended as a decent alternative to Clement.

[ Edited by: Warboys 2016-02-01 10:29 ]

Nope. That Lemon Hart's not at all rare. I'll be glad to take them off your hands, though. :wink:

Buuuut, seriously, nice score, Warboys! Happenstance encounter or were you on a mission to find them?
:drink:
Cheers!

Warboys is in Europe and if I'm not mistaken the LH151 is still available there. I know it is in Canada along with 80 proof and Spiced. It's just the U.S. that isn't importing it for some mysterious reason.

On 2016-02-01 13:51, AdOrAdam wrote:

On 2016-01-30 20:08, thePorpoise wrote:
adoradam- i quite like the ramazzoti.

Really? Yuk!

I'm kidding but it's not to my taste in the drinks I tried - I've still got an 3/4 ounce left from my 2 minis. Suggest a recipe?

i use it in recipes that work with campari. also, try 2 oz ramazotti, 2 oz lemon soda, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons triple sec...

My roommate and I decided to go out and restock the bar for the new year. It got out of hand.

I'm particularly interested in trying the Sugar Mill rum. It's from Barbados and its got an age statement right on the bottle, two things I like.

On 2016-02-02 16:23, PalmtreePat wrote:
My roommate and I decided to go out and restock the bar for the new year. It got out of hand.

I'm particularly interested in trying the Sugar Mill rum. It's from Barbados and its got an age statement right on the bottle, two things I like.

What's the one between Smith & Cross and Coruba? I saw it at Total Wine today and meant to take a pic to ask if anyone had tried it. Also, I spotted this El Dorado which I'd never seen before. Anyone know the deal? No indication of age.

Only purchase for me was a restocking of Pussers.

On 2016-02-02 16:43, mikehooker wrote:

On 2016-02-02 16:23, PalmtreePat wrote:
My roommate and I decided to go out and restock the bar for the new year. It got out of hand.

I'm particularly interested in trying the Sugar Mill rum. It's from Barbados and its got an age statement right on the bottle, two things I like.

What's the one between Smith & Cross and Coruba? I saw it at Total Wine today and meant to take a pic to ask if anyone had tried it. Also, I spotted this El Dorado which I'd never seen before. Anyone know the deal? No indication of age.

Only purchase for me was a restocking of Pussers.

That's "Cane Mill" rum, from barbados. 5 years old, 80 proof. I just tried it neat about half an hour ago and found it to be a little lighter and dryer than Doorly's 5 year, which is what i usually use for barbados rum. It's got a sort of buttermilk aroma to it. I'm planning to try it in an old fashioned next.

That El Dorado product in the picture is their superior dark. I want to say it's 2 years old, but that's secondhand information from a source I can't even remember, because the website doesn't seem to mention the age of their superior line of products. I've never had it (do they even distribute it here?) but I do remember from a thread about Dagger that an alternative to the 1:1 S&C:ED12 combo was 4:1 Kohala Bay to ED Superior Dark, which sounds like a slightly more cost effective means of replicating that flavor.

On 2016-02-02 16:43, mikehooker wrote:
Also, I spotted this El Dorado which I'd never seen before. Anyone know the deal? No indication of age.

the El Dorado plain dark rum is lousy. I can't remember if i've had their plain white rum, probably not as the plain dark was such a turn-off.

Their 3-yr-old white rum is awesome but hard to find- altho it appears to be peaking out from the side of your photo- you should grab it!

[ Edited by: thePorpoise 2016-02-02 20:35 ]

Yes, that's the 3 year white next to it. I've seen it in a few liquor stores around here and have considered picking it up. I've never had a white Demerara. In what applications would you use it? Could it work in place of a white Puerto Rican or Spanish style white? Good in daiquiris?

On 2016-02-02 20:52, mikehooker wrote:
Yes, that's the 3 year white next to it. I've seen it in a few liquor stores around here and have considered picking it up. I've never had a white Demerara. In what applications would you use it? Could it work in place of a white Puerto Rican or Spanish style white? Good in daiquiris?

I sip it neat tbh.

but yes- you can use a white english-style rum, be it el dorado or appleton estate, in any white rum cocktail for a flavor profile that will differ as you might expect from the spanish rum taste. my secret- i find it works particularly well as a substitute for dark rum in a dark and stormy, i call that a "Sunshower." works well in a cuba libre and in bajan punch too.

I think I love the Denizen a bit too much. A bottle rarely lasts more than 2 or 3 days or so.

Went to Hi-Times today for some Irish Whiskey and bought a little bit more than I had planned. The flor de Cana was on the clearance rack for 9 bucks. The Cherry spiced rum was 4 bucks on the rack-not sure if I can muster the courage to open the bottle and take a whiff. Couldn’t resist the Pyrat rum barrel. Hi-time’s clearance rack is always worth a look.There’s bout 4 mo bottles of the F d C on the rack- I think it usually goes for bout 19-20 dollars a bottle.

I wish they had clearance online! ;_;

EDIT: So I just bought myself a fine bottle of Angostura 1919 as my fancy bottle of the moment. Aside from a 2070 Swizzle, any other recommendations for this rum? Worst case scenario I will consume it neat.

[ Edited by: kkocka 2016-02-05 17:36 ]

On 2016-02-05 11:39, kkocka wrote:
I wish they had clearance online! ;_;

EDIT: So I just bought myself a fine bottle of Angostura 1919 as my fancy bottle of the moment. Aside from a 2070 Swizzle, any other recommendations for this rum? Worst case scenario I will consume it neat.

[ Edited by: kkocka 2016-02-05 17:36 ]

!919 has a sweet nose( I like sweeter rums) so I was surprised at this rums bite. A medium sized chunk of ice made it very sip-able. I buy a lot of rums cuz the bottle catches my eye. You end up with lots of nearly full bottles in yer bar.
Cheers

On 2015-12-19 20:54, nui 'umi 'umi wrote:
I am not a fan of cap’n Morgan or Sailor Jerry distillates. I am guilty of buying rum cuz I like the bottle or their swag. So at Hi Times today I could not resist this.

The color and finish of the bottle sorta resembles a cannon ball. !2.99,750ml, 70 proof.
Btw, I also snagged a small bottle of Banks (100 ml @ 2.99) If I don’t like it-nobig loss.

[ Edited by: nui 'umi 'umi 2015-12-19 21:27 ]

[ Edited by: nui 'umi 'umi 2015-12-20 18:56 ]

paid 13 bucks back then-10.99 at Von’s (California) right now.

[ Edited by: nui 'umi 'umi 2016-02-06 22:36 ]

On 2016-02-05 21:58, nui 'umi 'umi wrote:
1919 has a sweet nose (I like sweeter rums) so I was surprised at this rums bite.

I gotta say I'm actually kinda disappointed - I tried a bit neat and it was almost like a spiced rum like a Seven Tiki. Definitely vanilla notes. I'll make that swizzle soon enough but so far I feel like I made the mistake in getting it. :(

Follow me on Instagram
http://www.instagram.com/keithkocka

[ Edited by: kkocka 2016-02-07 00:20 ]

I don't know that I'd call this (or any of its contemporaries) a "rum" so much as I'd call it a "rum-based liqueur", but based on some favorable reviews, I'm hoping it will prove useful in playing around with that old coffee-pineapple-rum flavor profile.

On 2016-02-14 22:34, PalmtreePat wrote:
I don't know that I'd call this (or any of its contemporaries) a "rum" so much as I'd call it a "rum-based liqueur", but based on some favorable reviews, I'm hoping it will prove useful in playing around with that old coffee-pineapple-rum flavor profile.

i sampled that Brinley neat, and it was damn delicious- i agree it was a liqueur.

The available limes have not been too good the last couple of months so I've been trying to find a rum I like to sip w/ ice. I like Barbancourt 8yo, but I also want something "darker", fuller flavor. I liked Matusalem "Gran Reserva", but my favorite so far is Pampero Aniversario, and today I finally found some bottles of it locally. I bought them all, and grabbed another bottle of Barbancourt, so I'm all set for a while. :wink:

Zaya is my fav sipper followed by Papa’ Pilar dark. Neither will break da bank.
Cheers

On 2016-02-15 02:14, bkrownd wrote:
...but my favorite so far is Pampero Aniversario, and today I finally found some bottles of it locally.

Pampero Aniversario is heavenly. It's always a big hit among non-rum friends too. It's just so buttery smooth and tasty.

On 2016-02-15 12:00, nui 'umi 'umi wrote:
Zaya is my fav sipper followed by Papa’ Pilar dark. Neither will break da bank.
Cheers

Zaya was a bit too much vanilla for me to enjoy as a sipper, but for the same reason I did like to mix with it. (the opposite of what many have said) I will certainly keep an eye out for Papa's Pilar, which has been mentioned a lot here. :wink:

A kind-hearted member of TC was gracious enough to deliver me two additional bottles of Stiggins from Houston since he knew I coudn't find anymore around here. Meanwhile, I made my own pineapple-infused rum from Plantation dark and freshly cut pineapple to compare and determine if the arsenal of real stuff should be heartily enjoyed now or preserved for the long haul. Will post my findings on the Pineapple-Infused Rum thread.

Finally got some Pernod so I can make a god damned Jet Pilot... although my Remixed recipe for a Test Pilot seems very different to the LH151 Jet Pilot I seem to recall from a couple of months ago. I think I'm gonna go with the Pegu Blog version, since it uses a lot more of my newer purchases

First attempt at homemade Pernod so check in 'What are you drinking right now?' tomorrow to see the results :P

[ Edited by: Warboys 2016-02-27 09:13 ]

Yeah a Test Pilot =/= Jet Pilot. I'm not sure why sometimes people say they're related at all, because I've never seen any recipe that links the two. Anyway that Jet Pilot will be worth it - it knocked off Navy Grog as my favorite exotic cocktail.

On 2016-02-27 09:13, Warboys wrote:
Finally got some Pernod so I can make a god damned Jet Pilot...

[ Edited by: Warboys 2016-02-27 09:13 ]

I highly recommend the Atomic Grog's Jet Pilot recipe. Best version I've tried and one of the finest drinks I've ever had. I'm actually not a fan of the Steve Crane recipe and the Test Pilot isn't nearly as intricate. You'll need fassionola to make it. Not sure if you've gotten or made that yet.

I went a little crazy this weekend. Local chain store had a "dollar over cost" sale and I couldn't resist restocking some essentials I was running low on at those prices. The back row is three bottles of Stiggins :)

Nice selection Mike. Needs a bottle or two of Havana Club to make it perfect
Cheers

On 2016-02-28 16:48, nui 'umi 'umi wrote:
Nice selection Mike. Needs a bottle or two of Havana Club to make it perfect
Cheers

Ha. If only my local Austin store carried any. Maybe soon...

On 2016-02-28 13:36, kkocka wrote:
Yeah a Test Pilot =/= Jet Pilot. I'm not sure why sometimes people say they're related at all, because I've never seen any recipe that links the two.

Ahh in Beachbum Remixed there is no Jet Pilot, only a Test Pilot recipe that mentions that some people call it a 'Jet Pilot'. I went with the Sippin Safari recipe (via Pegu Blog) and it was pretty damned delicious. Not sure what my Falernum is supposed to taste like but the whole drink was very complex to make and taste

I also made a Zombie. I'm not sure if I like it, which is weird because I've enjoyed them in the past. I know it was meant to be strong but I felt that the alcohol was better masked in previous Zombies I've had at bars... I used the Beachbum Remixed Zombie (Original) recipe.

I didn't have white grapefruit for the Don's Mix, so I used my regular pink one... perhaps that was off.

Or my Falernum was weird (although my Jet Pilot was a success).

Or my rum mixes didn't blend so well... I used Bacardi 8 for the Puerto Rican, LH151, and Appleton V/X for the dark Jamaican.

It was nice, but it wasn't DELICIOUS which is my benchmark for a good tiki cocktail :wink:

Anyone try Trader Joe’s “Rum of the Gods”? It’s from Barbados and Bajan rums are some of my favorites. The 6.99 price (California) has me a bit leery. I was in the store today to grab some Mt. Gay and noticed their brand for the 1rst time.
Cheers

On 2016-03-04 21:14, nui 'umi 'umi wrote:
Anyone try Trader Joe’s “Rum of the Gods”? It’s from Barbados and Bajan rums are some of my favorites. The 6.99 price (California) has me a bit leery. I was in the store today to grab some Mt. Gay and noticed their brand for the 1rst time.
Cheers

ah man, i wish the Trader Joe's here sold liquor.

#thestruggleisReal

On 2016-03-04 21:14, nui 'umi 'umi wrote:
Anyone try Trader Joe’s “Rum of the Gods”? The 6.99 price (California) has me a bit leery.

Keep in mind that it can't be worse than Bacardi. At one WalMart near me I can get a 750ml bottle of Cruzan for $7, so don't let price be the sole influence.

On 2016-03-06 00:19, kkocka wrote:

On 2016-03-04 21:14, nui 'umi 'umi wrote:
Anyone try Trader Joe’s “Rum of the Gods”? The 6.99 price (California) has me a bit leery.

Keep in mind that it can't be worse than Bacardi. At one WalMart near me I can get a 750ml bottle of Cruzan for $7, so don't let price be the sole influence.

mahalo KK

My recent trip to Cancun was a success.

The 325ml Cabrito was part of a package deal with a 750ml bottle that we used to make Margarita's while at the hotel. It is cheap but not bad for mixing.

La Europa is a great store in the hotel zone. I could spent a lot more money there!

Nice score on that Havana Club rbeyer.
Cheers

On 2016-03-07 07:55, rbeyer68 wrote:
My recent trip to Cancun was a success.

La Europa is a great store in the hotel zone. I could spent a lot more money there!

A friend of mine who recently came back from a trip to Mexico was forced to pour out his Havana Club at the border. Anyone else have a problem bringing Cuban rums into the US via Mexico? I assume you flew back, how did you declare your rums?