One thing I’ve gotten into lately is rum, especially Jamaican rum. And though I love to sip the stuff neat, I also love a great Mai Tai. My version is a riff on the original Trader Vic’s Mai Tai. It’s a little stronger in the alcohol department because I want to bring out the “hogo” of the Jamaican rum.
1 1/2 oz. Smith & Cross (or Planteray O.F.T.D. for a change)
1 oz. Two James Doctor Bird (or Planteray Xaymaca a little less funky, but excellent)
1/2 oz. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
1/2 oz. Liber & Co. Almond Orgeat
1/2 – 3/4 oz. Simple Syrup (depending on the amount of lime juice)
Juice from one lime
Garnish: Sprig of Mint, Lime Half from squeezing
Add all the liquid ingredients to a shaker. Pop in a single small ice chip and whip shake to slightly cool and whip up the mixture. Pour over a glass or tiki mug filled with crushed (or ideally pebble) ice. Garnish with a clapped sprig of mint and one of the halves of the squeeze lime.
Are the brands important? With respect to the rums, I think they’re especially important. I’ve made it with other type of rum, including half and half Jamaican and Agricole rum (not my favorite combo). But my riff on the original recipe features the high-ester notes from Jamaican rum. The Smith & Cross and Doctor bird rums really get this cocktail funky.
The other stuff, I suppose you could get away with using different brands like De Kuyper curaçao. But with respect to the orgeat, I love the Liber & Co. orgeat because it’s a bit creamier than others that I’ve tried, but it’s definitely replaceable.
The only variable in this is the lime. As limes differ in size, you’ll get different amounts of juice. I will add a bit more simple syrup to compensate for a large amount of lime juice, hence the range of simple syrup I listed in the ingredients list.
As far as pairing this with a cigar, I prefer smoking a lighter, slightly spicy cigar with a Mai Tai. A spicy Habano, Corojo, or Cameroon works great. I recently had a Tatuaje 7th Corojo with this and it was amazing as was a Martinez NYC Blend (Cameroon). The spice of the smoke is a great accompaniment to the brightness of the lime in the Mai Tai.
Unco B's Stogie Diary 