Depaz Pure Cane syrup - YUM!!!!

Ok, I know in the "component study of the Mai Tai" we discussed what to use as the "rock candy" syrup. I had done like many, and made my own with some of the pure golden cane sugar from Trader Joe's, and added a couple table spoons of corn syrup, 1 oz of rum for preservative, and a bit of vanilla extract. Frankly I wasn't ever a real fan of this taken straight. It had a someone strange taste, but not bad. It was fine in the small quantity of a Mai-Tai, or as a general sweetener.

A couple months ago, when visiting the Rum Runner here in Tucson, I had spied a bottle with a deep golden brown liquid, called "Depaz Cane Syrup". It's from Martinique, and only contains cane sugar and filtered water. I hadn't bought a bottle then, as it was $11.99, but it intrigued me none the less.

Fast forward to today, and the Rum Runner was having a moving sale, 25% off of everything. Needless to say I went kind of nuts, and as part of it I picked up a bottle of this syrup. I cracked it open when I got home and was blown away by just how good it tasted licking it off of a spoon. I decided to mix up a Mai Tai, and not that I can entirely attribute it to the tiny amount of cane syrup in it, but frankly it was the best I've had in a LONG time (pyrat xo reserve, Gosling's BS, Bols OC, TV Orgeat, Depaz Cane syrup, juice of one persian lime).

Anyway, if you can find this near you, I definitely recommend picking up a bottle if you are looking for some type of pure cane syrup. Here's a link so you can see what it looks like: http://www.amazon.com/DEPAZ-Syrup-Fluid-Ounce-igourmet-com/dp/B000JDMGAK

Evidently the same company makes a Rhum Agricole that besides being rather expensive, is supposed to be pretty good.

Chris

[ Edited by: Kona Chris 2007-07-20 18:47 ]

Ok, I'm going to follow up my own post, and just say that if you can get a bottle of this, I don't think you'll be disappointed. I'd like to know what anyone else thinks too.

Chris

Never had the syrup (never even seen it) but the rum is not bad.

When I was down in Southern Calif for Tiki Farm's Big Ol' Bash, I stopped off at Hi Time Wine in Costa Mesa on my way home. The rum guy there is starting to recognize us! Anyways, my main mission was to pick up some good mixers that I couldn't find in the Bay Area, such as Curacao of Curacao, etc. This Depaz pure cane syrup was highly recommended. According to the guy at Hi Time, this is exactly the same cane syrup that Depaz uses to make their Rhum Agricole, and that if you had the capability to distill this syrup using the rhum agricole methode, then you would get the same rum!

I haven't tried their rum or this syrup yet, but I did pick up a bottle of the syrup, and will most likely try it this weekend.

Because of KC's recommendation I was anxious to try this syrup. Had the rum and it's very good, but didn't know DePaz made a syrup. I recently picked up a bottle of this recently while in Costa Mesa and it's delicious. I also like the fact it even looks like rum. It's only real shortcoming is price ($13 for 24 oz. at High Times) but once you've tried this you'll want to keep a stash of it.

Well, the DEPAZ has a nice color, about the same color as my homemade rock candy syrup, and is made from essentially the same ingredients, high quality (purified/filtered) water and high quality cane sugar.

The DEPAZ shows no precipitate so it's a form of simple syrup. I wonder how saturated it is. Probably tastes great. I infinitely prefer rock candy syrup, really unstable rock candy syrup. It's easy to make, too. Check this out.

Unless it was an act of desperation, I can't imagine buying anyone's ready-made simple syrup or rock candy syrup.

Having made "rock candy" syrup using the high quality cane sugar from Trader Joe's, I can unequivocally state that the Depaz syrup is infinitely better than what I made. Yes, it is pricy, but I lucked out and got my two bottles for about $9 each, and frankly I think it was worth it. The taste is more complex than any other simple syrup I've had, with slight honey notes, and really deep flavor.

Chris

Haven't tried the Depaz yet, but came across something similar at Surfas in LA, Entner-Stuart Hawaiian Cane Sugar. I like the improvement the "white" makes in a TV mai tai. The dark is also great on pancakes.