We received an email from reader Andrew Furber:
Hi Kevin, love your website/blog as well as all things tiki like yourself. Need help blending the perfect Mai Tai working with these current bottles on my home bar:
Appleton 12yr
Clement VSOP
Wray & Nephew
Plantation OFTD
Plantation Stiggins Fancy
El Dorado 5yr
Cruzan Single Barrel 5yr
Goslings Black
I normally do 50/50 Appleton and Clement blend (1 oz each) but wanted to get your thoughts. I recently discovered a nearby liquor selling Doctor Bird so I may pick up a bottle of that soon too.
I asked Andrew to rank some common rum styles in order of preference, and here was his list:
1. Jamaican rum (funky)
2. Jamaican rum (blended)
3. Rhum Agricole
4. Barbados rum
5. Light rum
Thanks, Andrew, that helps. If you like it funky you’ll want to use the Wray and the Clement.
I’ll give you a sort of simple version and a slightly more complicated and boozier option. You want a good backbone of aged rum, hence the high percentage of Appleton 12 in both options. You really can’t go wrong with Appleton 12 in a Mai Tai.
Simple version:
1 oz Appleton 12
½ oz Clement VSOP
½ oz Wray & Nephew Overproof
Boozier Blend:
¾ oz Appleton 12
½ oz Clement VSOP
½ oz Wray & Nephew Overproof
¼ oz Plantation OFTD
And, yes, we think you’ll love Doctor Bird and would be a good sub for the Wray in the above recipes.
