tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3462121554175947733.post6326383435733199736..comments2024-03-12T21:47:25.783-07:00Comments on Chemistry of the Cocktail: Tiki Classics: The Mai-Tai as FoundationJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06448702693643593156noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3462121554175947733.post-75763994106194843972017-01-01T13:42:17.181-08:002017-01-01T13:42:17.181-08:00Tequila can make a pretty decent agricole sub. I a...Tequila can make a pretty decent agricole sub. I also made a Three Dots & a Dash style drink with tequila that worked out well.<br /><br />http://cocktailchem.blogspot.com/2012/02/mixology-monday-lxiv-tiki.htmlJordanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06448702693643593156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3462121554175947733.post-159199705079638932016-12-29T21:12:38.345-08:002016-12-29T21:12:38.345-08:00Great post. I just made one using silver tequila (...Great post. I just made one using silver tequila (didn't have any reposado and the añejo I had was too nice for an experiment) and some VSOP cognac. Came out great! The tequila does a great job of bringing in the vegetal funk that you expect from the agricole. Baldurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18232523368853909259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3462121554175947733.post-14184793530842839922014-02-22T02:25:47.492-08:002014-02-22T02:25:47.492-08:00To take issue with one of Dominik's assertions...To take issue with one of Dominik's assertions "that you can't really replicate an outstanding product with 2 cheaper ones": equal parts Dolin Vermouth Rouge + Bonal Gentiane-Quina is remarkably similar to Carpano Antica--at half the price. Maybe sometimes we overlook nuances when the price comparison is so dramatic. But I still stand my my convictions that this simple substituion has been the crux of my success in making Manhattans, Martinezes, Martinis, Bobby Burns or Chet Bakers.<br />Sc'Erichttp://fb.com/scQuenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3462121554175947733.post-39950376523002474742013-07-15T09:38:20.923-07:002013-07-15T09:38:20.923-07:00For your formula I couldn't agree less.
You ha...For your formula I couldn't agree less.<br />You have correctly mentioned, that Wray Nephews rum was used originally [funny enough Vic called for Wray Nephews 17 years old and not Wray & Nephews - maybe the name has changed].<br /><br />In the Mai Tai #2 the 17 years old was just switched with an available 15 years old - I guess you could say, that this wasn't a big deal. Because the Mai Tai continuously went large, the 15 years old went also 86 - and then the whole rum 1 plus rum 2 started in the Mai Tai #3. I believe, that happened to replicate the outstanding aromas [and yes, there was a lot of funk] of the original products - but I also believe, that you can't really replicate an outstanding product with 2 cheaper ones.<br /><br />Due to the resurgence of the cocktail culture, I would not go the way to take Mai Tai #3 [it was definitely not the worst one - featuring a mix of Rhum Agricole and aged Jamaica rum - but it was incomparable to the original and #2]. I would rather try to replicate the original!<br /><br />There are different great rums out, which could do the trick. Appleton 21? Maybe even a bit too precious - but delicious. Maybe a bit closer to the original would be Cadenhead Jamaica Long Pond Estate 18 years - though I guess, it is no longer available [it was gold in color rather than amber - exactly how Mr. Bergeron described the WN]. A rum which should work really good [but I haven't tried it yet, due to the unavailability in the region I am living in] is Coruba 18 years old. The good thing is, that it is quite a lot cheaper than the Appleton and as Appleton it is the same company as Wray & Nephews.<br /><br />Anyway - mixing two different spirits with the Mai Tai specific ingredients and proportions, might result into a tasty drink - though you certainly cannot call it Mai Tai [don't even mention it]. It is just wrong.<br /><br />The Mai Tai deserves to recognized as king of Tiki cocktails - hence I wouldn't mess with it!The Opinionated Alchemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07311427618587127565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3462121554175947733.post-9727108459182124962011-11-27T14:07:38.478-08:002011-11-27T14:07:38.478-08:00Jimbo, I agree that I was using somewhat imprecise...Jimbo, I agree that I was using somewhat imprecise language. Using a pot still is more about retaining all the esters from fermentation (though I do understand that it's possible to get the same or similar results with a column still). It's not as if the still magically produces those flavors.Jordanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06448702693643593156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3462121554175947733.post-33255346887430010062011-11-27T11:24:26.599-08:002011-11-27T11:24:26.599-08:00Great post. Sadly I know close to nothing about t...Great post. Sadly I know close to nothing about the high art of mixology, but as Head Idiot, aka The Compleat Idiot of Rum over at my humble site, The Rum Project, I do know something about rum<br /><br />I wholehearted agree with your substitutes for rum - excellent - but a minor correction regarding what you call the Jamaican style "pot still funk". Fine single malts are also made with pot stills, but I'm pretty sure you don't make much mention of their "funk". <br /><br />The difference...<br /><br />Is not the pot stilling, but IS the fermentation. Unlike whisky, and unlike most other styles of rum, the Jamaican style is based on the use of "dunder". Dunder is simply the leftovers from a distillation which is literally saved in big, wide open pits! Yes, pits. It oozes and bubbles, and looks and smells very, very nasty.<br /><br />What you are smelling are oodles and oodles of additional esters, aromas and flavor components that will never be available via simple fermentation, but only after long years - yes years - in the dunder pits. A certain amount of dunder is added to new fermentations and sometimes to the wash/beer to add literally hundreds of new esters.<br /><br />That is the source of your "funk" (a word with which I agree BTW). So do consider calling it a "dunder funk", and leave the lovely copper pot still alone...Capn Jimbo's Rum Projecthttp://rumproject.com/rumforum/noreply@blogger.com