St. James Royal Ambre

[RonJames]

Cracked open a bottle of St. James Royal Ambre last night that went well in a planteurs punch but I know nothing more about this rum. Sipper? If mixed what drinks do you use it in? Im off to scottes rum page as I think I remember a review on it but I'd be interested in others thoughts as well.

[rumdog007]

Not the best sipper. There are a couple above it in the line which are delicious sippers. But, this rum when combined with a Jamaican dark, say, Meyers Dark make one hell of a Mai Tai. It is said that the combination approximates the taste of the Wray & Nephew 17 year old rum. Trader Vic exhausted the supply of the 17 in the 40's and found that combining 2 rums kept the character of the drink. See Beachbum Berry's books.

[Paulipbartender]

If only it did taste anything like the 17 year old...

Sadly not even close.

[Tiare]

I agree that its not much of a sipper but mix ok.Even better is hors d`age.

[RonJames]

Sadly I don't think I've ever had a well made mai tai, only the type served at bars and I don't think it would compare to Tiare's mai tai's. I will have to go with rumdog and give it a try. That 17 wray n nephew is probably about as allusive as a jackalope

[rumdog007]

Originally Posted by RonJames

Sadly I don't think I've ever had a well made mai tai, only the type served at bars and I don't think it would compare to Tiare's mai tai's. I will have to go with rumdog and give it a try. That 17 wray n nephew is probably about as allusive as a jackalope

You, definitely need to follow her lead http://www.amountainofcrushedice.com/ . But, please don't forget Dood!

http://www.rumdood.com/

They are both working hard on the ultimate Mai Tai.

But, you really need to read this:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...WIER14PSQI.DTL

[RonJames]

Thanks rumdog, I need to educate myself on those references. They seem to be the begining and end and all things mai tai.

[Michael]

Thanks for the link rumdog to an entertaining column.

I missed that one in the local rag (the real Chronicle is sorely missed). Is the Torani Orgeat a decent substitute for homemade (the question likely makes Tiare and Dood cringe)? Orgeat of sufficient quality is the one Mai Tai ingredient that seems hard to locate, W&N 17 year old excepted of course.

How would our experts rate the recipe suggested in Gary Regan's column? We've been enjoying the ongoing search for the perfect Mai Tai and await further developments.

[rumdog007]

Michael, sadly, the Torani is not good at all and is not even on the radar compared to homemade. But, through Amazon, the Tessier is decent. A few years ago the Trader Vics was made with real almonds, cane sugar syrup, and a minimum of preservatives. It worked pretty well. Now, it is horrible. The Monin almond syrup, while not right is a better fit than the Torani.

[Carbon]

Originally Posted by rumdog007

Michael, sadly, the Torani is not good at all and is not even on the radar compared to homemade. But, through Amazon, the Tessier is decent. A few years ago the Trader Vics was made with real almonds, cane sugar syrup, and a minimum of preservatives. It worked pretty well. Now, it is horrible. The Monin almond syrup, while not right is a better fit than the Torani.

I have the Monin, but I just don't like how it smells or tastes. I know it's probably better than the Torani, but I guess people really were right about homemade being the only real way to go.