Smith & Cross

I finally had the chance to sample this rum, as a local bar gave me a very generous 3+ ounce pour in a red wine glass.

I found it to be very rich and full-bodied. Is anybody using it in cocktails? seems too complex (and pricey) to throw into a mixed drink to me...

I recently picked up a bottle having seen many others post very positive comments here on TC by folks mixing drinks with it. I tasted, but haven't started using it yet, will work with it soon and am expecting good things. I agree that it's a good rum.

I think there is another thread devoted to rums where these S&C messages would be better placed?

I saw no other thread topic devoted to Smith & Cross, but if a mod wants to move this so be it.

Here is some discussion of Smith and Cross, although it wasn't devoted only to discussion of that rum...

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=45237&forum=10&hilite=smith%20and%20cross

Porpoise - you asked if anyone was using Smith & Cross in cocktails, and I was just sayin' that there was quite a bit of previous discussion of using Smith & Cross in cocktails elsewhere here on TC. So much, in fact, that it caused me to go out and buy a bottle. Just sayin'... :) So here we have a new thread for just this one rum. I'm not sure we should start threads for all the other good rums which are in existence, but I'm not a moderator, so again, just sayin'... Now that I have a bottle, I'm looking forward to trying it in some cocktails as well as sipping it neat. I'll try to post my thoughts and findings later.

I LOVE SMITH&CROSS!!!

Great, great Jamaican rum. . . absolutely epitomizes the "hogo" funkiness Dave Wondrich has written about. There is a thread somewhere on Ministry of rum that talks about how many different esters come off of Wedderburn and Plummer pot stills — can't remember which is which but one of them is in the hundreds and one of them is in the thousands.

As far as mixing, Smith&Cross makes a fantastic combo rum in a Mai Tai. It is so capable of taking over the drink that I usually go 0.75 oz on the Smith&Cross and 1.25 oz on the companion rum.

An awesome non-Tiki Smith&Cross recipe for Negroni fans (I am one) is the Kingston Negroni created by Joaquín Simó of NYC's Death & Co. Sub Smith&Cross for gin in a trad 1:1:1 Negroni. Some recipes dial the red vermouth back to 0.75 oz and I will do so if I am using something like Punt e Mes, but otherwise I go with equal parts. Traditional Negronis are stirred, strained and served up, but the Imbibe rendition of Simó's recipe calls for strained over ice in a rocks glass and garnished with an orange slice and that is how I usually do mine.

Try it, it's delicious!

As far as I'm concerned, there can never be enough threads for Smith & Cross! I've subbed it for a Jamaican rum in many Tiki drinks, and there is definitely the potential for taste obliteration with its bigtime "hogo", but with dialing back the amounts and some experimentation you'll find it very rewarding. Especially effective in punches, daquiri-type recipes where its the only rum,and yes Mai Tais...once I made a Lemon Hart 151 and S&C Mai Tai and it was actually pretty good!

That's very good to hear, I'm really looking forward to using my Smith & Cross. Right now it's just sitting on the most prominent display shelf in my bar, next to my RL Seale's 10 year.

I also use the 1/3 Smith Cross, 2/3 other rum combo and find it makes a delicious Mai Tai, although a tad expensive.

At $30/bottle, it's only $1.18 per Mai Tai (using an ounce).

Treat yourself to the good stuff! :)

I whole-heartedly agree. Sometimes there is only $4 to $6 difference between an 'average' and 'excellent' bottle. On a per-drink basis, you're cheating yourself out of an awesome experience by not using the good stuff. Pennies per ounce aren't worth being cheap. A mai tai with lower-cost rums just doesn't have the same impact.

^^^ that ^^^

Likewise I have only sampled Smith & Cross - I described it as 'dark Wray & Nephews with wood'. Look forward to buying some, it's on my list to buy :)

I've never been let down by Smith & Cross although I will admit, it's not right for all mixed drinks. I will usually use it in any drink that I would use Kohala Bay for . . . it works especially well for the Jet Pilot, The original 1934 Zombie (an all the later variations). . . and I've even used in for a Mai Tai - paired with Eldorado dark.
It's a fine Jaqmaican rum!

Three personal favorites using S&C are the Lazy Bear (3/4 oz S&C, 3/4 oz rye, 3/4 oz honey syrup, 3/4 oz lime jc and a couple dashes Angostura bitters), the Final Voyage (3/4 oz S&C, 3/4 oz apricot liqueur, 3/4 oz green Chartreuse, 3/4 oz lime jc) and the Slurred Word (1 oz S&C, 1/2 oz green Chartreuse, 1/2 oz Maraschino liqueur, 1/2 oz lime jc, 1 oz pineapple jc).

poutineki, those all look great and I will definitely get around to trying all of those. I especially like that riff on the Last Word Cocktail, one of my favorite classic cocktails from the non-Tiki side of the menu.

Sunny&Rummy, I had the Kingston Negroni this evening and it was excellent. I used 3/4 oz Punt e Mes as you suggested. Thanks for the tip!

Glad you liked it TDB!