FrogPrincesse

The taste is different from simple syrup made from sugar crystals (or golden syrup). You have to try it and then it will be obvious how different it is. More of a vegetal fresh sugar cane taste.

It's pretty great in a Mai Tai!

I most definitely am. I left about 75 comments on PDT cocktails on EYB. :-)Most recently, I've been busy with the Death & Co Cocktail Book which is great. I am also adding my comments to EYB (and eG of course). I am glad to read that they are useful to other people!

Aw thanks. They are Perrier-Jouët champagne flutes. I had a bunch and broke most of them, but still have these two left. I think they came from a garage sale.

They sell a lot to locals actually. It available in most stores in San Diego and people are familiar with the brand. A lot of restaurants have it on their menu as well. I try it about once a year to remind myself how bad it is. I think there is an opportunity here. I like to daydream about converting my garage into a small cider/calvados factory.

Very cool indeed. It's so hard to find decent cider in the US. I guess I've been spoiled with the ciders from Brittany and Normandy... "Locally" we have Julian hard cider, but it's pretty awful.

That sounds like a great idea that I am going to steal. It's a really good cocktail book. PDT was good too, but this one is even better in my opinion. Lots of good information in addition to the cocktails. The general organization of the book makes a lot of sense as well.

And here it is in the rogue beta cocktail thread (your photo looks much better than mine though!). If you are into this kind of cocktail, check out the discussion on Bitters as the Base for more ideas...

Vida is the entry-level offering from the line at $35 or so. Chichicapa is around $70. The rest of the line is $70 - $120, with the exception of the Pechuga and Iberico at $200...

I tried the Coin Toss with Rittenhouse rye. Excellent Manhattan variation. It reminds me highly of the Greenpoint, another Manhattan variation with Chartreuse.

202 Steps (Phil Ward) with tangerine, Baker's bourbon (Elijah Craig bourbon), simple syrup, orange bitters. This one is an Old Fashioned variation with fresh citrus. A good concept but it's too sweet with the stated amount of simple syrup (1/2 oz that I reduced to 1/4 oz, which was still too much). Also it did not feel punchy enough. I think my tangerine might have been overly juicy.

Another swizzle, the Cirque Swizzle from Jessica Gonzalez with Anchor Junipero gin, yellow Chartreuse, crème Yvette (R&W crème de violette), lemon juice, vanilla syrup (short pour), simple syrup (skipped). With the violette, the top of the drink has a slight purple tinge that you can't see on the photo; with crème Yvette it would be bright red if I am not mistaken. Even with no added simple syrup and the reduced vanilla syrup, this was most definitely on the sweet side. The cocktail is interesting, but the balance was a bit off. I wanted to like it but it needs tweaking.

Hi-Time has La Favorite in stock, although they explained that it's not reflected online as it is a low stock inventory. I feel much better already.

I've seen that, but they no longer offer free shipping to California. I was hoping for something more local.

6th Street Swizzle (Phil Ward) with La Favorite white rhum agricole, lime juice, cane sugar syrup, and Angostura bitters. This is spectacular as expected, but I am a huge La Favorite fan to begin with. Important note: I reduced the amount of sweetener significantly, from 3/4 oz 2:1 syrup to 3/4 oz simple syrup. With the specified amount it would have been too sweet for sure (the drink contains 1 oz of lime juice). The real drama here is that I finished the bottle of Favorite, and that it does not seem currently available in Southern California.

Or the Iberico. I am very curious about that one!

Good to know. My bottle of Vida is almost gone and I was considering "upgrading" to Chichicapa which is twice the price and recommended in the Death & Co book. Maybe I should try it before committing.

You need a double old fashioned glass for Mai Tais. Aren't julep cups too small?

I haven't tried this exact combination, but anything resembling a Martinez is fine by me. Added to the list! (I will have to make do with regular grapefruit bitters though, as I don't have the hopped version.)

Grand Street (Alex Day) with Beefeater gin, Punt e Mes, Cynar, Maraschino liqueur, muddled grapefruit twist. I had made this cocktail before the book was published with ratios that were a bit different and without the muddled grapefruit skin. The version from the book is superior; there is something really pleasant about the grapefruit oil and the bitter caramel notes of the Cynar. A great bitter Martinez variation.

There are a lot of recipes on French websites. The shrubb is typical of the French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, and is obtained after maceration of citrus peel (orange, lemon, mandarins) in white rhum agricole. Apparently it's a traditional recipe for Christmas. A few recipes: this one uses dried orange peel and orange extract, this one also includes cinnamon and a vanilla bean, this one includes clove as an option (and a video), this one nutmeg; this one is quite detailed with a lot of photos and two techniques to dry the citrus peels. My bottle of Clement creole srubb is almost gone, so I know what I will be making next!

Another one in the same vein (rhum agricole + absinthe), Brian Miller's Green Flash. JM white rhum agricole 100 proof (La Mauny, which is only 40% abv), lemon juice, acacia honey syrup (eucalyptus honey syrup), Vieux Pontarlier absinthe (St. George absinthe), dry Champagne (Kirkland brut rosé). Really fabulous too, light and extremely flavorful. Fun and unexpected.

Very nice summary, Hassouni.Did you get a chance to try Plantation 3 Stars? I think it compares well to Flor de Cana or Havana Club.

Here are the ratios for the Daisy de Santiago that are recommended in the Bartender's Choice app, if you decide to go in that direction (the link I provided is good for the history of the drink, but seems way too heavy on the Chartreuse): 2 oz rum, 1 oz lime, 3/4 oz simple, barspoon yellow Chartreuse.

The drink sounds like a play on the Daisy de Santiago with egg white & orange flower water. I would probably add lime juice and simple syrup as Rafa suggested.