Help for a Couple of Cocktail Novices (Part 1)

[Kerry Beal]

Mai tai - using this recipe from Katie Loeb. Used the brand new orgeat I made last night. Just a little taste for me as I've got to head back to the hospital for a meeting tonight, It was quite yummy!

[KatieLoeb]

Kerry: What rums did you use? Did you include the grenadine or not? That was sort of a cobble-together for me since I was out of any proper dark rum at the time. I've just returned from remedying that situation so I can treat myself to another Mai Tai when I'm done working on some writing later. It's a very tiny light at the end of my tunnel right now...

[Tri2Cook]

And how was it? Did you like it?

Edited to add: Cherry Heering used to be a standard in our bar and in my FIL's bar but I see, though it is listed on the LCBO website, it does not appear in the inventory of any stores. Curious.

I liked it. A bit boozy compared to the things I've been drinking lately so I had to sip it a little more gently but I did enjoy it. I got the Cherry Heering in Manitoba... maybe it's going to drift into Ontario if the LCBO is listing it. It wasn't listed there not too long ago.

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry: What rums did you use? Did you include the grenadine or not? That was sort of a cobble-together for me since I was out of any proper dark rum at the time. I've just returned from remedying that situation so I can treat myself to another Mai Tai when I'm done working on some writing later. It's a very tiny light at the end of my tunnel right now...

I used a Lamb's white (Canadian bottler) and my Cockspur VSOR. I used my homemade grenadine which is thick, syrupy and a has a bit of nice acidity.

I grabbed a couple of rums this evening - so I have some Gosling's black seal and some Flor de Cana 5 year old, as well as some Wray and Nephew overproof to make some pimento dram.

[KatieLoeb]

Go really light on the grenadine. It's subbing for a very small amount of simple syrup. I used a very scant barspoon. And we wouldn't want to upset FrogPrincesse

If you can find the Smith & Cross anywhere, get yourself a bottle. It's really delicious. I thought I had a tough time with the state controlled liquor system in Pennsylvania, but it looks like the system in Canada is just as bad or worse.

[Kerry Beal]

Go really light on the grenadine. It's subbing for a very small amount of simple syrup. I used a very scant barspoon. And we wouldn't want to upset FrogPrincesse

If you can find the Smith & Cross anywhere, get yourself a bottle. It's really delicious. I thought I had a tough time with the state controlled liquor system in Pennsylvania, but it looks like the system in Canada is just as bad or worse.

Just used the smallest glug - less than a barspoon for sure.

Is the Smith and Cross a white or dark? I notice that you recommended the Appleton white before - I was able to find that one in the LCBO system.

[Sunny&Rummy]

Smith & Cross is a gold rum just the slightest bit lighter in color than Appleton V/X. The lighter color is deceptive, as this rum just oozes the pot still ester funk that is such a defining feature of traditional Jamaican rum. Wonderful stuff.

[Kerry Beal]

Smith & Cross is a gold rum just the slightest bit lighter in color than Appleton V/X. The lighter color is deceptive, as this rum just oozes the pot still ester funk that is such a defining feature of traditional Jamaican rum. Wonderful stuff.

Sadly not looking like it's available in Canada (at least in Ontario) - I'll have to watch out for non drinkers heading to Jamaica who'll bring me back a bottle.

[Tri2Cook]

Nope, not available at the LCBO and doesn't show on the MLCC site either. I have a list for Manitoba that I'm going to have picked up when one of my friends is there in October so I was hoping they'd have it. A Barbancourt (they have the 3 star and the 5 star) and the Matusalem Gran Reserva are on the list. They have Zacapa 23 year available there but they want $80 for it... I think I'm gonna pass.

[Kerry Beal]

Nope, not available at the LCBO and doesn't show on the MLCC site either. I have a list for Manitoba that I'm going to have picked up when one of my friends is there in October so I was hoping they'd have it. A Barbancourt (they have the 3 star and the 5 star) and the Matusalem Gran Reserva are on the list. They have Zacapa 23 year available there but they want $80 for it... I think I'm gonna pass.

Quebec perhaps?

[KatieLoeb]

Is the Smith and Cross a white or dark? I notice that you recommended the Appleton white before - I was able to find that one in the LCBO system.

I recommended the Appleton White as an alternative to the ubiquitous and not so tasty (by comparison) Bacardi. The Don Q Cristal also fits this same slot very well at a similar price point. If you taste any of these side by side with the Bacardi, they win hands down. I look at these things in a commercial environment as "what will the 'well rum' be" in whatever restaurant where I'm working. For that pour you'll reach for the rum and cokes or the basic rum + mixer that you'll sell oodles of without even thinking about it. But the metric is the same for the "household pour" at a decent quality/price ratio.

Edited September 1, 2011 by KatieLoeb (log)

[Sunny&Rummy]

I would definitely also put Cruzan White in that list of winning quality vs. price light rums. Only slightly less versatile but still a very good white rum for the price is Flor de Caña Extra Dry 4 year. I have yet to try it, but I also keep hearing great things about El Dorado 3 Year light rum.

[Tri2Cook]

I would definitely also put Cruzan White in that list of winning quality vs. price light rums. Only slightly less versatile but still a very good white rum for the price is Flor de Caña Extra Dry 4 year. I have yet to try it, but I also keep hearing great things about El Dorado 3 Year light rum.

The El Dorado 6 year silver is available through the LCBO as is the Havana Club Anejo Blanco. In my non-expert opinion, both of them are well worth having. Either would be a good choice.

[EvergreenDan]

I have yet to try it, but I also keep hearing great things about El Dorado 3 Year light rum.

ED3 is tasty, but very sweet. It does not seem to serve the same purpose as a regular light "house" rum. Brugal could be on a short list of versatile, inexpensive, light rums.

[haresfur]

I'd go with the Cuban. I use Ron Santiago de Cuba.

[Anna N]

Against my usual habit of avoiding cocktails except for the weekend I felt the need to wash the day away. I am sipping on a Captain's Blood - dark rum, lime juice, simple syrup, agnostura bitters. The first sip was a definite put off but damn, the taste is growing on me. Rum always smells a lot like gasoline to me so I have usually avoided it except in cooking but who knows......

[haresfur]

Against my usual habit of avoiding cocktails except for the weekend I felt the need to wash the day away. I am sipping on a Captain's Blood - dark rum, lime juice, simple syrup, agnostura bitters. The first sip was a definite put off but damn, the taste is growing on me. Rum always smells a lot like gasoline to me so I have usually avoided it except in cooking but who knows......

What rum? Maybe find a decent sipping rum then work from that to cocktails then switch the rum to something funkier if you want to go that way. I'd maybe try that with Barbancourt, Goslings, Myer's, or even Capitain Morgan. I'd avoid Bacardi and at least to start, Inner Circle (or probably Smith & Cross which I haven't tried). It's been a long time since I've had Lamb's Navy but from what I remember, it might do but stay clear of the overproof. Maybe not PC with the cockail weenies, but I like Pyrat XO as a float on some drinks - it's just not what I'd grab for most cocktails.

Then again we do dark rum in hot chocolate so maybe I'm not to be trusted.

[Sunny&Rummy]

Against my usual habit of avoiding cocktails except for the weekend I felt the need to wash the day away. I am sipping on a Captain's Blood - dark rum, lime juice, simple syrup, agnostura bitters. The first sip was a definite put off but damn, the taste is growing on me. Rum always smells a lot like gasoline to me so I have usually avoided it except in cooking but who knows......

THAT is the Captain's Blood I know and love. Using your favorite aged sipping rums in that one makes about the best midnight daiquiri you can imagine. Matusalem Gran Reserva, Barbancourt, Cockspur 12, and Pampero Aniversario all shake up to make a glorious Captain's Blood.

[Kerry Beal]

Part and Parcel - yum!

[Anna N]

Being a Brit and definitely grumpy tonight the Grumpy Brit #2 seemed all too appropriate. So good I am sipping on my second one! Kind of defeats the "low alcohol" benefit though.

[Tri2Cook]

Part and Parcel - yum!

Tasty indeed, did you do it with vodka or gin?

[Kerry Beal]

Part and Parcel - yum!

Tasty indeed, did you do it with vodka or gin?

Tanqueray #10. You could drink that stuff neat!

[Anna N]

....

What rum?

Sorry, missed this question. El Dorado 12 year old. Budget won't stretch to a vast variety of liquors so it often will have to be what is on hand until I win the lottery or our LCBO starts to drop their exorbitant prices.

[Tri2Cook]

Part and Parcel - yum!

Tasty indeed, did you do it with vodka or gin?

Tanqueray #10. You could drink that stuff neat!

Haven't tried that one but, to be honest, I haven't met a gin I couldn't drink neat.

Right now I'm wondering which rum that I have could stand in for the Barbancourt in a...

Don's Little Bitter

1/8 oz Peychaud's bitters

1/8 oz Angostura Orange bitters

1/4 oz Angostura bitters

1/2 oz Fernet Branca

1/2 oz lemon juice

1/2 oz simple syrup

1 oz Barbancourt 8 year rum

Shake, strain, coupe.

[Sunny&Rummy]

Part and Parcel - yum!

Tasty indeed, did you do it with vodka or gin?

Tanqueray #10. You could drink that stuff neat!

Haven't tried that one but, to be honest, I haven't met a gin I couldn't drink neat.

Right now I'm wondering which rum that I have could stand in for the Barbancourt in a...

Don's Little Bitter

1/8 oz Peychaud's bitters

1/8 oz Angostura Orange bitters

1/4 oz Angostura bitters

1/2 oz Fernet Branca

1/2 oz lemon juice

1/2 oz simple syrup

1 oz Barbancourt 8 year rum

Shake, strain, coupe.

You are one of the lucky Canadians who can get Havana Club 7, so that would be a more than suitable stand-in. Matusalem Classico would suffice, and the 15 or 18 would kill.