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Which Rum What Cocktail and Why? Tales of the Cocktail 2014
This document discusses the history of rum and cocktails, focusing on the origins and evolutions of the Mai Tai cocktail. It describes how the original Mai Tai recipe from the 1940s called for 17-year old J.W. Ray & Nephew rum, but this became unavailable so Trader Vic substituted other rums. Over the decades, as rum availability changed, the Mai Tai recipe was further adjusted by Trader Vic to blend different rums to maintain the original flavor profile. The document also provides brief mentions of other classic cocktails like the Negroni.
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Which Rum What Cocktail and Why? Tales of the Cocktail 2014
- 1. Which Rum, WhatCocktail, and Why? #WhichRumWhatCocktail Tales of the Cocktail 2014 This argument was proudly started by:
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- 8. #WhichRumWhatCocktail Columbus: O. G.Mixologist
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- 15. “I took downa bottle of 17-year old rum. It was J. Wray Nephew from Jamaica; surprisingly golden in color, medium bodied, but with the rich pungent flavor particular to the Jamaican blends.” – Victor Bergeron, “Let’s Set the Record Straight About the Mai Tai”, 1970 #WhichRumWhatCocktail
- 16. The Original Formula 2ounces of 17-year old J. Wray & Nephew Rum over shaved ice. 1/2 ounce Holland DeKuyper Orange Curacao. 1/4 ounce Trader Vic's Rock Candy Syrup. 1/2 ounce French Garnier Orgeat Syrup Add juice from one fresh lime. #WhichRumWhatCocktail
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- 20. 1944-1950: “The successof the Mai Tai and its acceptance soon caused the 17-year-old rum to become unavailable, so it was substituted with the same fine rum with 15 years aging which maintained the outstanding quality.” – Victor Bergeron, “Let’s Set the Record Straight About the Mai Tai”, 1970 #WhichRumWhatCocktail
- 21. Early 1950s: “The supplyof 15-year-old rum was becoming less than dependable so several other Caribbean products were tested for the same high qualities of flavor. Red Heart and Coruba were selected to be used in equal quantities along with the original 15-year-old to stretch the supply and maintain the character of the Mai Tai.” – Victor Bergeron, “Let’s Set the Record Straight About the Mai Tai”, 1970 First Adjusted Mai Tai Formula 1 ounce 15-year old J. Wray Nephew Jamaican Rum 1 ounce Coruba - or Red Heart Jamaican Rum 1/2 ounce Trader Vic Formula Orgeat 1/2 ounce Holland DeKuyper Orange Curacao 1/4 ounce Rock Candy Syrup juice from one fresh lime #WhichRumWhatCocktail
- 22. Mid 1950s: “The mid1950s signaled the end of a dependable supply of the 15-year old J. Wray Nephew Rum. This fact as well as problems with consistent quality in the other Jamaican London Dock Rums caused Trader Vic to make private arrangements, in the interest of high quality, to blend and bottle a Jamaican rum under his own label and control. Consistent quality was maintained in both a 15- and 8- year aging. This rum, though excellent, didn’t exactly match the end flavor of the original 17-year- old product. This desired nutty, and snappy flavor was added by the use of Martinique rum.” Second Adjusted Mai Tai Formula 1 ounce Trader Vic'sJamaican Rum (15 or 8 year old) 1 ounce Martinique Rum (St. James or Trader Vic’s) 1 ounce pre-mixed Curacao, Orgeat and Rock Candy Syrup juice from one fresh lime Mix and serve as in the original formula. #WhichRumWhatCocktail
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- 27. Trader Vic’s Bookof Food and Drink – 1946. identical text in 1981 edition; same text paraphrased in Trader Vic’s 1947 Bartender’s Guide and revised 1972 edition; and seen here on his 1940s-era menus: “Martinique Rums: Commonly known as French rums, they are usually heavy in body, coffee-colored, very similar to Jamaica rums, but in many cases have the dry burned flavor of the Demerara. This flavor, however, is very faint. The rum produced in Martinique is, in many cases, shipped to France where it is aged and shipped as French rum. One of the finest rums is Rhum St. James, made on the plantations of St. James.” #WhichRumWhatCocktail
- 28. Early 1960s: “Trader Vicdecided to produce and bottle a total Mai Tai rum and also a Mai Tai flavoring mix under the Trader Vic label. This was to be for restaurant use and also for retail sale. This rum was made to recapture the characteristics of the original 17-year- old rum. First he skillfully blended Jamaican rums and then added Martinique rum for its elusive and wonderful nutlike flavor (rhum traditionelle) and a bit of light Virgin Island rum for the smoothness of body. (padding) This combination became the Trader Vic Mai Tai rum as we know it today.
- 29. “After a year,we had used all the 17 year old rum in the world, so we had to substitute. Now nobody can substitute 17 year old J. Wray & Nephew rum. But I tried and I made a combination of Puerto Rican rum, Martinique rum, a high-ester Jamaican rum, and a Guinnea rum, and it was pretty close. And, ya know, after mixing the rums with the other ingredients we used in the drink, you couldn’t tell the difference. Today, when you buy a bottle of our Mai Tai Rum, you have the closest taste to 17 year old rum you can buy.” -Frankly Speaking: Trader Vic’s Own Story. A Candid and Informal Autobiography, 1973
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- 37. #WhichRumWhatCocktail Thank you foryour attention!
- 38. #WhichRumWhatCocktail - Bonnet CarreTasting Room, Monteleone - 3 to 5pm Saturday - Plantation Rum portfolio tasting with Alexandre & Dave Wondrich - World premiere of Stiggins' Fancy Rum!