The Mai Tai, a component study in Mixology

What a thread! Great job. Only wish I caught it while it was happening (too busy lately, I guess).

I would only like to add a comment on Curacao. I have found many on the market to be too sugary. Arrow brand is the absolute worst. It also has a serious synthetic flavor, and one sniff has you looking for the aspirin. DeKuyper's? Well I haven't had much luck with that either. Just not smooth enough, so it stands out in the drink too much for me. I think Bols is the best of the affordable, easy to find brand. Not too sugary, and smooth so it mixes well with the drink. I read somewhere that Trader Vic switched from DeKuyper to Bols at some point along the way. (Maybe he just got a good distribution deal, but I like to think it was because of the improved flavor.)

In any case, great post. Thanks for all the work!

Chip and Andy, a belated thanks for starting this discussion about my favorite cocktail, I feel like I've rediscovered it! I'll certainly be searching for some of the different ingredient brands mentioned.

Viva le Mai Tai!!

On 2006-08-06 06:39, I, Zombie wrote:
... comment on Curacao. I have found many on the market to be too sugary. ... I think Bols is the best of the affordable, easy to find brand.

Funny you mention Bols, because that is the one brand that I have the hardest time finding in my area. You mention the others being too sweet, try reducing the Bar Syrup first. If that doesn't quite get it, try increasing the lime by a dash or two and see if that helps....

On 2006-08-06 13:56, Pepe le Tiki wrote:
Viva le Mai Tai!!

I couldn't agree more!

And, Lenore.... Ix-nay the Furioso-a. That is my 'secret' Evil Bartender Name and is not to be spoken in public less the Mai-Tai gods strike my rum collection undrinkable..... :wink:

Here's a late addition to this thread about limes. This is from an interview with Kern Mattei, manager of the Mai-Kai. Thanks to Swanky for pointing it out in his blog. For the full interview, go HERE.

"Our lime juice is particularly important and there is a long history of its use here at the Mai-Kai. We prefer juice from what is called a Mexican West Indies lime or Key Lime. There are two kinds of limes, which are quite different in appearance and taste. There is a Persian or Tahitian lime, which is large and shaped, likes a lemon. Then there is the Mexican or West Indies or Key Lime that is smaller and completely round like a golf ball, and although green through its growing and maturing stage it begins to turn yellow as it ripens. There is a tremendous difference in the taste of these two items and we have always noticed and preferred the juice of the West Indies lime. We had them compared and analyzed a few years ago in a lab and were told that the West Indies lime has a much higher oil content and acidity. This is our preference and the choice of the lime makes a very noticeable difference in the taste of the drinks."

I recently found this article ref maitais at drinkboy.
http://www.drinkboy.com/Essays/MaiTai.html

aloha :drink:

On 2006-08-08 15:43, GatorRob wrote:
"Our lime juice is particularly important and there is a long history of its use here at the Mai-Kai. We prefer juice from what is called a Mexican West Indies lime or Key Lime. There are two kinds of limes, which are quite different in appearance and taste. There is a tremendous difference in the taste of these two items and we have always noticed and preferred the juice of the West Indies lime. We had them compared and analyzed a few years ago in a lab and were told that the West Indies lime has a much higher oil content and acidity. This is our preference and the choice of the lime makes a very noticeable difference in the taste of the drinks."[/i]

Well we here in Key West always knew dat Cuzy! :wink: In actuality I had originally used the Persian Lime because I wanted to use fresh lime juice and that what was available at the local Winn Dixie. The juice of one lime the TV website said so I did, and I found it way too tart, so I got some bottled key lime juice and used 3/4 of an oz and it was good :P Now key limes are available in the market and again I used the juice of one (unmeasured) and shook lime shells along with the rest of the ingredients, WOW! Now that's better! So I believe that way back in '44 Trader Vic was using the Citris Aurantifolia or 'key lime' :D

OK. . . I'm gonna beat this horse some more!
We're all aware of the ingredients for the "$100 Mai Tai" and the purists in our midst strive for that 'perfect' libation - no argument there!

What if . . . you were on a strict budget . . . the $100 Mai Tai rums were out of the question . . . you've got your orgeat, your Orange Curacao, your Rock Candy Syrup, Limes, Mint sprig . . . but you've only got $40 to spend on the rum. That's it - $40 for two 750ML bottles of rum to blend for your Mai Tai. What do you do?
What readily-available rum or rums would you buy to create a "Decent" or relatively close clone to the $100 Mai Tai?

Have at it!

On 2007-01-27 07:35, GentleHangman wrote:
. . . but you've only got $40 to spend on the rum. That's it - $40 for two 750ML bottles of rum to blend for your Mai Tai. What do you do?
What readily-available rum or rums would you buy to create a "Decent" or relatively close clone to the $100 Mai Tai?

I don't know about recreating the $100 mai tai but my favorites are:

Coruba for the dark

Cockspur Five Star or Mount Gay Barbados Sugar Cane Rum for the gold

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.

Since the question was "what's closest to the $100 Mai Tai with cheaper rums?", I'd have to agree with Chip and Andy on the Appleton. That'll cost between $15 and $20. I'd recommend a less expensive Martinique rum for the Rhum St. James Hors d'Age. Rhum St. James has a few less expensive offerings (that I've yet to try) that would come in at your price range. I've not tried other brands, so can't make any recommendations there either. A thread on different Martinique rums could be fun and interesting. Anyway, try checking out the good folks at Hi Time Wine Cellars if you can't find it anywhere else. I know they've got them, should be available through the website.

I usually use Meyers for the dark, I wait for it to go on sale for $12.00 or so. Hey I'm cheap, and for the gold, Cockspur reserve that was on sale at Bev Mor for $6.99 a while back. I was splurging on Marie Brizzard Curacao $24.00 but tried Potters $7.99 and liked it. So the $100.00 mai tai is more like $50.00 around here.

This is exactly what was looking for. I agree with the Appleton VX . . . I always use that and it's always under$20 for 750ml. However, there are NO Martinique rums available in my immediate area unless I 'special order' it from Crown Liquors about 15 miles away. Again, I was talking about nicking out to your neighborhood Liquor Store rather than purchasing online. With this in mind I have on occasion, coupled the Appleton VX with Meyers dark (both Jamaican) with very satisfactory results. Two Jamaican? Why not? TV only used one Jamaican for the original. And on others, Appleton with Cruzan - also satisfactory. I also agree with C&A that one could get away with just the Appleton VX, but I prefer the blending of a gold and a dark for theway they compliment each other. So, with the choices I've mentioned above, I can come in under $40 for the rums.

On 2007-01-30 00:55, Ojaitimo wrote:
I usually use Meyers for the dark,...

Tell us more about the taste of the finished cocktail, please. I am curious as to what the Meyers brings to the drink because I, personally, dont like Meyers as I find it too sweet on the finish. I would think that you would need a bit more lime to overcome that sweetness. That is just my taste and I prefer my cocktails to be slightly on the tart side of balanced. Tell us what you like about the Meyers and what it does to the final cocktail.

10 Cane and other cane-juice based rums are kind of interesting to try in a Mai Tai as well. I've used it before with other rums and it produces a pretty interesting combination. I haven't had 10 Cane in a while, so I don't entirely remember the taste, but it wasn't as sweet as you might expect.
I've not tried the exact combination of 10 Cane and Appleton VX but I think it might be worth a try. While 10 cane can't substitute for Martinique Rum, it does make for a drier drink, at least more than Myers. Martinique rum, or at least the St. James Hors d'Age is pretty bold, but not sweet or sugary the way some other darker rums can be (at least I didn't think so). I think 10 Cane might be an easy substitute as it's readily available in most liquor stores. Oh, on the downside though, it is a bit more expensive, so maybe not such a great option. A fifth usually sells for more than $20. Too bad. I was getting thirsty.

When I use the Meyers with the Appleton VX, because it is sweeter I am able to reduce the 'Rock Candy Syrup' and go with about 1/2 oz of both Orange Curacao and Orgeat (each) and one fresh lime, the juice of which I don't measure. Being a Type 2 Diabetic, this is to my benefit(any time I can cut down on added sugar), and I find the balance of sweet & tart to be just right for me. Occasionally, when the fresh limes on hand are smaller than usual, I might add a touch more lime juice to get the balance I'm looking for. I've made them with just the Appleton VX, and they're still very good - but I prefer adding a dark rum - I've used Meyers, Cruzan and Bacardi Select so far all with acceptable results.
My main reason for asking the question in the first place was to get input from others as to what combinations they use, soma of which I'll try. I'm experimenting to obtain a combination readily available from my local liquor store without the need to 'special order' anything. I'm pretty sure that not everyone (myself included) always uses Appleton VX and Saint James Hors D'Age every time. I'd surely like to be able to do that, but then I'd have to take out a loan!

I bet you feel more like you do now now than you did when you came in.

GH

[ Edited by: GentleHangman 2007-01-30 13:41 ]

Here is something you can try in your quest for Mai-Tai Rum pairs.....

Open both bottles (assuming you have two already) and put the necks together and then take a big sniff. It looks goofy so you may want to do this part in private. If the two rums together give you hints of anything exotic or make you think of yummy cocktails on endless beaches then you should have a pretty good pair of rums for a Mai-Tai. The strengths and weaknesses of each should be reasonably well balanced.

If the two rums together smell like two rums together, you may not have a 'good' pair of rums for a Mai-Tai. You should still try the two together, but you will probably have a cocktail that is a little flat overall.

This little trick does not guarantee anything other than you looking like some kind of strange idiot sniffing rum bottles, but it is a good start. They say smell is the major part of taste so this is an excellent place to start. I have found with this nose trick and some experimentation that Corruba and Angostura "Old Gold" make a surprisingly good pair, that Bharbancourt 5 star (or 8 ) and Cruzan Single Barrel make a pretty good pair, and that Angostura 1919 and Appleton Dark (basic stuff, not the estate) make a decent pairing.

[ Edited by: Chip and Andy 2007-01-30 21:31 ]

It is obviously much easier to do this kind of project with a few people sitting around a bar (home or otherwise) because you get not only the drink ingredient exploration, but you get the sights, sounds, and aroma of all of the ingredients. Doing this kind of thing on a message board like Tiki Central is a real challenge, but that actually made it more fun because you get to pull out all of the adjectives you don't normally get to use to describe things.

Guys, I can't praise or thank you enough for the effort you took with this thread. I've been a Tiki collector for awhile but my home mixology was confined to vintage cocktails. Now I'm interested in the "tropicals" and am working my way through Beachbum's books. What a joy this is at the end of a stressful work week -- and how different these lovely concoctions taste from the stuff we've come to expect in chain restaurants.

This thread was quite an education in Tiki mixology in general, because it showed me how to compare and what to look for in products. I'm making Mai Tai's this weekend, and don't anybody try to stop me!

I can't wait to go home and sniff some rum bottles!

Oh, baby! Why am I at work??? I'm gonna go home sick and try that.

Well, keep us posted on what good combos everyone comes up with. One of my current favorites for darker rums is Goslings Black Seal. Just tried a little 50mL bottle of that the other day. Both I and a friend thought it was pretty good stuff, and I don't believe it's very expensive either. I might have to go pick up a bottle and see what I can rustle up.

I did it! I mixed up my Mai Tais and they were definitely "oa ae -- the best!"

My liquor locker was somewhat challenged so I pulled out the 15 year El Dorado as instructed and just used that -- lovely!

However, here in NYC the mint supply was in its winter doldrums and my mint was droopy so I was too embarrassed to take a picture.

Thanks again, everybody!

On 2007-01-30 05:03, Chip and Andy wrote:

On 2007-01-30 00:55, Ojaitimo wrote:
I usually use Meyers for the dark,...

Tell us more about the taste of the finished cocktail, please. I am curious as to what the Meyers brings to the drink because I, personally, dont like Meyers as I find it too sweet on the finish. I would think that you would need a bit more lime to overcome that sweetness. That is just my taste and I prefer my cocktails to be slightly on the tart side of balanced. Tell us what you like about the Meyers and what it does to the final cocktail.

Well,
I like the taste when its mixed with a gold like the Cockspur, Appleton and even Sailor Jerry's. The sweetness is there but to my personal liking. The Beachbum's recipe for the $100.00 Mai Tai is what I try to make with these rums and good curacao. I use 2 oz's of lime juice which cuts the sweetness. Shaken with mint leaves(my personal taste) 1/2 oz Curacao usualy lt is Marie Brizzard , 1/2 oz orgeat and 1/4 oz sugar syrup. Oh yeah, lime shell in the glass, not in the mixer.

OK, this weekend the mint is much more perky so here's a pic!

Delicious? Oh my, yes...

On 2007-02-16 18:12, TraderPeg wrote:
OK, this weekend the mint is much more perky so here's a pic!

Delicious? Oh my, yes...

That is one fine looking drink. But you forgot the umbrella...... :drink:

Who wants a Mai Tai?

[ Edited by: Chip and Andy 2007-02-16 19:31 ]

forgot the umbrella

[Jumps behind the wheel and kicks it to World Market for the umbrella straws...]

On 2007-02-17 07:24, TraderPeg wrote:

forgot the umbrella

[Jumps behind the wheel and kicks it to World Market for the umbrella straws...]

Turn the car around! It doesn't need an umbrella! It's fine just the way it is!

Don't let him talk you into serving them in Tiki Bob mugs either...

Thank you, Gator-cuz.

I must confess, that as much as I love my Tiki mugs, I do not love the Tiki Bob and I do not desire one.

There, I said it.

i still hold out hope for a Trader Vic Seahorse, however -- some way, some day...

On 2007-02-17 12:39, GatorRob wrote:
...Don't let him talk you into serving them in Tiki Bob mugs either...

Everything tastes better in a Tiki Bob mug...... :lol:

But seriously.... most mugs are 12 or more ounces. That means in order to serve Mai-Tais in a Tiki Mug you will probably have to pour a double. And Cocktail umbrellas look so much more entertaining on top of a tiki mug that is holding a Mai-Tai double. Better still when you get to the bottom of said mug.

Yes, everything looks tastier in a Tiki mug, even those commonly found in the wild, as we say here.

I do enjoy how the Mai Tai looks in the clear DOF (double old-fashioned), however -- I wanted very much to see the Green island and the Mint Tree!

I was wondering, too, if the Tikicentral software could automatically place flashing Tiki masks on those posts entered after the local Cocktail Hour -- "Warning! Possible Drunken Response Here! Do Not Take Too Seriously Or Expect to Understand Implied Joke!"

On a related topic, I recently was told that if you order a "San Francisco Mai Tai" at a Trader Vic's, the bartender will make it from scratch rather than use the TV mix. Anyone know if this is true?

I got a couple of Mai Tai's at the Beverly Hills Trader Vic's on Feb 17th and the bartender Alfie? gave Hiltiki and me Mai Tais made from scratch and gave me a sample of Lemon Hart Demerara. Guess she has some influence there. Thanks Hiltiki!
It was as good as mine! (Modest arn't I)

You're welcome. Hopefully we will do it again soon.

I have to go back to rums...

I've noted a few rum pairings that people have mentioned in this thread, but I'm still having problems finding what I feel is the Perfect Pairing.

I'm working with Gary Regan's Mai Tai #2 from the Joy of Mixology. It's very, very close to what I want, but a bit flat with all the rums I've tried. I'm ready to throw in some bitters just to add some depth! I just need some more complexity.

Note that I can't find St. James Hors D'Age anywhere, so that's out. I did buy a couple more Martinique rums last night, leaving me with Clement VSOP, Kaniche, and St. James Amber. But none of them are complex enough.

So I'm not necessarily looking for a Martinique rum, but rather a complex one. (I'm not a purist.) Pyrat XO comes to mind, but is there anything else that is quite complex but not as sweet? I've even tried some of the other complex, aged rums (Goslings Family Reserve, Angostura 1824, Ron Pamepero), but they tend to add a smokiness which I find weird.

Any ideas on a complex rum?

St. James Amber and Appelton Extra make a pretty good pair. Appelton VX and Angostura 1919 make an OK pairing, a little flat overall but still tasty.

If you have Kaniche on hand, you have one of my favorite Mai Tai rums. I use 1 oz of Kaniche (Martinique preferrably but the Guadalupe works in a pinch) 1/2 oz. of Myers's and 1/2 oz. of Whalers Dark (!). The thing with the Whalers is that, while not a good rum straight, it actually serves to round out all the flavors and tones down the rankness of the Myers. The other thing is that I use a full 1 1/2 oz lime juice, squeezed violently in an OrangeX juicer to extract some of the bitter oils of the rind.

I also want to put in a shameless plug for my new favorite variety of Orange Curacao: it's called "Senior Curacao of Curacao." It's not cheap (I paid $22 for a 750ml) but it is very high quality and a bit drier in character than a typical Orange Curacao. It has some more natural bitter orange taste in it as well, plus a nice light sweetness. It really lifts a Mai Tai and cuts the murkyness that all the Orgeat and sugar and dark rums can give you.

On 2007-03-02 08:28, Scottes wrote:
I have to go back to rums...

I've noted a few rum pairings that people have mentioned in this thread, but I'm still having problems finding what I feel is the Perfect Pairing.

I'm working with Gary Regan's Mai Tai #2 from the Joy of Mixology. It's very, very close to what I want, but a bit flat with all the rums I've tried. I'm ready to throw in some bitters just to add some depth! I just need some more complexity.

Note that I can't find St. James Hors D'Age anywhere, so that's out. I did buy a couple more Martinique rums last night, leaving me with Clement VSOP, Kaniche, and St. James Amber. But none of them are complex enough.

So I'm not necessarily looking for a Martinique rum, but rather a complex one. (I'm not a purist.) Pyrat XO comes to mind, but is there anything else that is quite complex but not as sweet? I've even tried some of the other complex, aged rums (Goslings Family Reserve, Angostura 1824, Ron Pamepero), but they tend to add a smokiness which I find weird.

Any ideas on a complex rum?

On 2007-03-02 13:59, Quince_at_Dannys wrote:
...I also want to put in a shameless plug for my new favorite variety of Orange Curacao: it's called "Senior Curacao of Curacao." ...

Quince, how does the Senior brand compare to the Marie Brizard orange curacao?

I haven't tried the Marie Brizzard--the ones I am familiar with are Arrow, DeKuyper, Leroux and Bols. Out of those I thought Arrow was the worst, Leroux and DeKuyper not much better (almost no orange flavor at all) and Bols was so-so but the least phony tasting. But compared to all of those the Senior Curacao is lighter, and not corn syrupy tasting. When you do the sniff test, the Senior doesn't smell as "gasoliney" and you get a subtle hint of orange peel. I'm going to have a hard time going back to the Bols--even though it is a third the price.

On 2007-03-02 14:05, Hakalugi wrote:
Quince, how does the Senior brand compare to the Marie Brizard orange curacao?

The Senior Brand makes the M.B. stuff seem like orange flavord gasoline. It has a very clear flavor and has all these little hints of wood and orange and bitter peel and overall you could drink the stuff straight over a little bit of ice.

The stuff is next to impossible to find in this neck of the woods so if someone is willing to shop and ship for me my liver would be eternally grateful.

Senior Orange Curacao is available below:
http://www.winespecialist.com/ecart/searchsimple.asp?sc=&s=Curacao&GO.x=10&GO.y=11

I love orange liquers, so I'm very intrigued by the Senior Curacao. I know they're not going to be exactly the same, but any idea how they compare to Cointreau or Patron Citronage in orange flavor, sweetness, and quality of taste?

For the Whaler's Rum, any close approximation in another brand? Or can you describe it - sweet or mild? complex or simple? harsh or moderately smooth? quality or mediocre?

Compared to Cointreau, Senior Curacao is less boozy and a little sweeter; you don't get the "burn" like you do from Cointreau. Whereas Cointreau is a bit dryer and more sippable, Senior Curacao is equally complex and lends itself better to mixing. In a Mai Tai, I find Cointreau to be a little too dry.

Whalers is not a complex rum--it's very sweet and actually pretty mediocre on its own. It does mix very well, however, and can balance out woodier tones in Martinique Rum. As an alternative, Goslings has a similar character in drinks--I like it better on its own but I prefer Whalers in the Mai Tai.

I love Orange Liqueurs too but not particularly those mentioned above what about Grand Marnier?

Quince, how does the Senior brand compare to the Marie Brizard orange curacao?

Hi. I bought a bottle of Marie Brizard curaçao eleven years ago and a bottle of Senior & Co. curaçao two weeks ago after reading this thread. I doubt I can compare the two well with that much time in between. I am in a new apartment, though, 85-95° this summer, and do not know whether it would help or hurt to put the Senior & Co. curaçao in the refrigerator. I would appreciate any advice and of course contribute more to this conversation if there is interest.

Thanks lots.

On 2007-06-10 22:07, johnnyfootballhero wrote:
...a bottle of Marie Brizard curacao eleven years ago and a bottle of Senior & Co. curacao two weeks ago after reading this thread. ... and do not know whether it would help or hurt to put the Senior & Co. curacao in the refrigerator...

Aloha and welcome to TC. It always nice to see new names on the list.

As to keeping in the fridge.... It won't hurt.

It will only help a little bit, ultimately.

Most of the liqueur's have a relatively high sugar content and that is what leads to thier demise. Once you open the bottle, the 'process' has started and you have anywhere from a few months to a few years before the produce turns on you. Some bottles will turn on you in just a few months while others can make it three or more years after opening. There is no real set time on any of them, you just have to keep your eyes and nose on them.

The 'process' works like this: Ingredients have both sugar and alcohol in them. Alcohol keeps stuff from growing and eating the sugar. Bottle is sealed and placed on shelf where you buy it and take it home to put on your shelf, but only after you have broken the seal. Now, with seal broken, alcohol starts to evaporate (so called Angel's Share) and will eventually get to a point that is low enough a concentrate that stuff can now move in and grow in your bottle. End result, bottle 'breaks' and stuff inside goes bad. A 'Break' can look like fine webbing floating in the mix, an unusual color, an unusual head on the mix, bad smells, bad taste, all generally akin to moldy old bread.

Now, for that eleven year old bottle of curacao, I wouldn't trust that bottle. If it still smells like curacao and the color is still bright and clear you are probably fine. But! I would sniff that bottle every time I open it just to make sure. And if it is good, get to making some Mai-Tais so that your ingredients don't sit around neglected so long!

Thanks! I shall move it if only to chill it.

No worries about the bottle eleven years ago: I last saw it eleven years ago, or ten and a half. I brought it up only because it was the first curaçao I had, and someone asked about it.

No one's really discussed this yet, but what do you think about substituting Mount Gay rums for the Martinique? Mount Gay is so much easier to find. And if you do substitute Mount Gay, what particular Jamaicans do you match with the Barbados? I've tried the standard Mount Gay with Myers. The result was fair, especially when fortified with orange and pineaple juice, 1 ounce of each. Yeh, yeh, I know... I've tried the Mount Gay Sugar Cane rum, which works extremely well in a Shark's Tooth, but it gave me a foul start in the Mai Tai. Any help?

Well, while I am waiting for a reply, tamed down the Mount Gay Sugar cane by pairing it with 1/2 of each Appleton V/X and Myers. I did the two bottle sniffer thing. So, by blending two jamacians and a barbados I am now left with the question as to just how important the martinique thing really is. Could it be that the Mai Tai is really the child of a Jamaican and the Martinique thing is an adoptive father for a drink made an orphan by the winds of time?

On 2007-06-24 20:33, telescopes wrote:..Could it be that the Mai Tai is really the child of a Jamaican and the Martinique thing is an adoptive father for a drink made an orphan by the winds of time?

A very eloquent way of putting it. And proably very close to the truth.

As to you question of subbing Mount Gay, I like Appelton VX and Mount Gay Eclipse in a Mai-tai, both of which are staples at my local suppliers and both about $30 a bottle.

I can't recommend Myers for a Mai-tai because I don't recommend Myers for anything. And, the only reason I don't recomend it for anything is becasue I don't like the stuff. There is nothing wrong with it and many people here call it their favorite rum. If you like it, keep pouring it. Just none for me, thanks.

And, just for experimentations sake.... Try using Amarreto in place of the Orgeat when using the Meyers. Amerreto is not really almond, but the aroma is still exotic enough that it might help the Meyers. Of course I could be way wrong........