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Putting Raspberry Syrup to Work: Double ‘R’ Punch

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Alright y’all, it’s the first day of autumn and at this point I have to admit something: no matter what season it is, I want a Tiki drink. Adding to this constant desire is the bottle of Raspberry syrup I made last week, which goes SOOOO well with Rum. So no matter what the weather, as long as you’ve got Raspberry syrup, Orgeat, and Rum, you could really get into this Punch.

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The thing about Raspberry syrup is that it can totally be used in place of Grenadine. I was reading through tons of recipes from the Prohibition era and there was actually a high number of instances where Raspberry syrup was called for or used as a Grenadine sub. The other thing I found interesting was that almost all of these recipes used Brandy or Rum as the base spirit.

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Hell yeah. Rum. Rummmmmmmmmmm. I’m starting to think that my brain is automatically like, “but how can I put ingredient ‘x’ with Rum?”

And note my new (vintage) Planter’s Punch glass! Isn’t it cute? So cute! And appropriate since I am using Jamaican Rum in this recipe! (Thank you Denizen Merchant’s Reserve!)

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I think the process went something like this:

  1. I was like “Ok, the Raspberry syrup is both sweet and tart and goes well with Lemon & Lime, so lets start there.”
  2. Then I wanted Orgeat to help smoooooth things out cause there was a lot of acid happening with the juices + syrup.
  3. But then I wanted anise so I thought Absinthe + Peychaud’s for extra spices and depth
  4. Finally the Rums: Plantation Barbados 5 for smoothness, Denizen Merchant’s Reserve for the funk to dry the drink out a bit.

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…Mint for aroma and cause it’s so pretty with the red color of the drink. Same reason for using a Blue umbrella: colors are important when creating drinks! It’s like you’ve made a tiny, albeit temporary work of art!

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Double ‘R’ Punch

  • 1 1/2 oz Plantation Barbados 5 Year Rum (Sub a smooth, aged Rum)
  • 3/4 oz Denizen Merchant’s Reserve 8 Year Rum (Sub Jamaican Rum)
  • 1/2 oz Raspberry Simple Syrup
  • 1/4-1/2 oz Orgeat*
  • 1/2 oz fresh Lime Juice
  • 1/4 oz fresh Lemon Juice
  • 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
  • 8 drops St. George Absinthe Verte
  • Garnish: Mint sprig, Tiki Umbrella

Combine ingredients over ice and shake. Double strain into Planter’s Punch glass or Collins glass over crushed ice and garnish.

*Totally depends on your Orgeat. I’m using homemade Orgeat and it’s not as sweet as something like B.G. Reynolds Orgeat. I’d recommend starting with 1/4 oz, taste the drink, then add more if needed.

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This photo is really making me wanna escape to a tropical place…like right meow.

Cheers and have tons of fun with your Raspberry Syrup drinks!

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Shannon’s Fog Cutter

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Y’all, it’s nearly autumn and I am feeeeeling like it’s time for some Sherry! Actually, I’m feeling like it’s time for some Rum + Sherry + Gin + Cachaça which means, I’ve got a Tiki drink for us today! So grab one bottle of each, some citrus and get some Orgeat cause this shit is tasty!

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Do you see it? Do you see the book in the photo? Are you intrigued? “Gurrrrl, why is there a book in the photo? There’s never a book in the photo!”

Woo! I’ve been meaning to get the Smuggler’s Cove book for quite sometime and after seeing the 100th or so recipe show up on /r/cocktails, I was like, “OK FINE! I’ll get the book!”

It’s uhhhhhhhmazing. It’s the Tikiest/nerdiest/geekiest/Rummiest/most delightful book I’ve read in awhile and wow, it has so many good tips on how to make well crafted cocktails. So like any thirsty woman, I found a recipe that was really speaking to me and made a variation.

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Not that I haven’t made a Fog Cutter before, cause I totally have and I totally love this format. Tropical + Gin + Sherry really speaks to my soul on a deep level.

For this particular Fog Cutter, I was thinking of my friend Shannon Mustipher (THE Rum Queen of NYC, brand ambassador for Denizen Rum, a serious lover of Cachaça and overproof spirits) and made this drink with her in mind. Hope you like it gurrrrrl!

  1. I started with Yaguara Cachaça as the “inspirational” ingredient and the replacement for brandy…
  2. Which led me to Denizen 3 Year Rum for the main spirit cause Denizen & Yaguara go so well together and y’all know Denizen is my “workhorse Rum”. Loads of coconut, banana, and grasses between the two of these spirits.
  3. Then I wanted a big bright Gin and was kind of thinking overproof would be the jam so to the Hayman’s Royal Dock I went!
  4. I followed the Smuggler’s Cove guide of Lemon, Orange, & Orgeat but I did change the type of sherry from Oloroso to Lustau Amontillado cause that’s what I had in my fridge. I also have Fino but I thought that would be too dry and a little too thin.

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Another tip I picked up from Smuggler’s Cove is the use of “Flash Blending”. Now, they use something like a Hamilton Beach Milkshake Blender and blend for 5 or so seconds. I don’t have that sort of blender but I do have a Ninja (for all the smoothies my girlfriend and make in our lil apartment). I’ve reduced my blending time to just about 2 seconds so that the drink doesn’t get too watery and I’m digging the resulting texture.

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Check the ice in the above photo. Nice right? Also, those Luxardo Cherries look super tasty right now. Yummmmmm.

Shannon’s Fog Cutter

  • 2 oz Denizen 3 Year Aged White Rum
  • 1 oz Cachaça Yaguara
  • 1/2 oz Hayman’s Royal Dock Gin
  • 1/2 oz Orgeat
  • 1 1/2 oz fresh Orange Juice
  • 1 1/2 oz fresh Lemon Juice
  • Garnish: 1/2 oz Amontillado Sherry, 3 Luxardo Maraschino Cherries, swizzle stick

Combine ingredients and flash blend for 2 seconds with ~8 oz cracked ice. Pour into a tall Tiki mug, float the Sherry on top, and garnish.

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Tiki cheers to all y’all and I HIGHLY recommend getting the Smuggler’s Cove book. I also recommend getting a Rum collection going cause there is a whole wonderful world of Rum out there and with that Rum you can make a whole wonderful set of Tiki drinks!

L’Orgeat Mai Tai

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

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Summer Monday. Summer Mondaaaay. On one hand, it’s summer and on the other hand, it’s freaking monday! Fortunately, I’ve got something really cool to share with y’all on this paradoxical day of the week!

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Behold: L’Orgeat Almond Liqueur!

A couple of weeks ago L’Orgeat hit me up on Instagram and asked if I wanted to try some of their brand new Orgeat Liqueur. I obvi said, ‘Yes PLS!” and so here we are.

As a Tiki fanatic, I was a bit skeptical but I’m really digging this stuff. Made from California Almonds, it’s 20% ABV, has the viscosity of a really great Orgeat, a nice amount of Orange Flower Water, and really really works in a Mai Tai!

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Like, I was shocked how well it worked in a Mai Tai! SHOCKED I SAY!

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L’Orgeat provided me with a lil booklet of recipes (how thoughtful!) including one for a Mai Tai. The recipe called for “Jamaican Rum” so I used my fave Denizen Merchant’s Reserve 8 Year Rum. I’m also obsessed with this Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, so boop, it went into the drink. They suggest using Smith & Cross as a float and gurrrrrrrrrl, it was goood.

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L’Orgeat Mai Tai

  • 1 1/2 oz Jamaican Rum (Denizen Merchant’s Reserve Rum is killer)
  • 1/2 oz L’Orgeat Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • Garnish: Lime shell with Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum, Mint Sprig

Combine ingredients over crushed ice and short shake. Dump contents of shaker (ice and all) into chilled Double rocks glass. Plop your Lime shell in there, add some Smith & Cross to the shell, and a Mint Sprig. Whenever you feel like dunking your Smith & Cross into the drink, dooooo it.

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Btw, this Rum and this Curaçao are BEST FRIENDS y’all! BEST FRIENDS!

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A million hot as hell Mai Tai cheers to all y’all and I totally recommend L’Orgeat for all your future Mai Tais!

Mai Tai Find You In Compton featured on Sirius XM

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

Mai Tai Find You in Compton

Hey y’all! My friend Madina Papadopoulos (who writes for Paste, Village Voice, and Sirius XM among other things) has included my Cachaça Yaguara Mai Tai in her Summer Sips & Sounds round up! She paired the Mai Tai with Ice Cube’s It Was a Good Day. Cool eh?

Head to Sirius XM to read the whole article and check out some of the other excellent pairings!

Cheers!

The Captain’s Leave

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Happy Friday to all you #IrishWhiskeyMonth party people! It’s finally spring in NYC and I’m so happy not to be wearing a million layers, and a jacket, and a hat, and gloves, and giant snow boots. To celebrate this change of season, I’ve made a Tiki Drink with Teeling Small Batch Whiskey.

If you wanna join the fun, use the hashtag #IrishWhiskeyMonth on Instagram and I’ll repost your photo! The only rule is that you have to include Irish Whiskey in your cocktail.

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Hello dreamy umbrella, cherry & piña. You make me wanna swoop off to a tropical beach!

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Here are your cast of characters:

  1. I wanted to put Teeling Small Batch with…
  2. Apricot Liqueur cause it’s warm and sunny out. #happiness
  3. I knew the Orange Flower and Almond notes in Orgeat Syrup would go well with Apricot.
  4. Lastly, Lemon Juice for acid, length, and to balance the sweetness.

This combination of flavors was also inspired by two classic cocktails: an Army & Navy and a Colonel Cocktail (1937 version: Whiskey, Apricot Liqueur, Grapefruit, Simple Syrup).

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The name of the drink is an homage to the two cocktails mentioned above, except that the commanding officer in question is on holiday. The Captain has left the ship, is headed to a deserted island, and is on leave. Don’t call, he won’t pick up the phone.

The Captain’s Leave

  • 1 3/4 oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
  • 1/4 oz Rothman and Winter Apricot Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Orgeat
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • Garnish: Tiki Umbrella, Pineapple Chunk, Maraschino Cherry

Combine ingredients over ice and shakity-shake-shake. Strain into double rocks glass over crushed ice. Garnish. Tiki time.

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Suuuuuuper dreamy. Welcome to the weekend y’all! Have an excellent #IrishWhiskeyMonth!

Capone’s Curse

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

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I was totally ready to share a stirred drink with y’all, when suddenly it snowed again here in Brooklyn! This change of weather has me feeling pressed to post another Tiki The Snow Away drink (and this one uses Templeton Rye ). MAY THE GODS FAVOR US WITH BETTER WEATHER!

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Warmer climates! Warmer climates! Oh how I wish I was in a warmer climate!

Seriously though, doesn’t the sight of this drink make you wanna get on a plane to Central America/Hawaii/The Caribbean/Southern California? Me too.

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Here are your cast of characters:

  1. If y’all can’t tell, I’m on a bit of a Templeton Rye kick: “The Good Stuff” is so smooth and plays so well with others. It works extra well with Rum!
  2. Speaking of Rum: Smith & Cross + Templeton Rye is a great split base. Highly recommend.
  3. Orgeat, Piña, Lemon: These three make for a really killer Tiki “punch base”
  4. Bittermens Elemakule Tiki Bitters: Tiki in a bottle. Seriously, the spices are perfect.

 

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The name of this one is a play on the fact that Al Capone was obsessed with Templeton Rye during his bootlegging days. I imagine that Capone took a vacation to the Caribbean, and though surrounded by Rum, still couldn’t get Templeton out of his head.

Capone’s Curse

  • 1 3/4 oz Templeton Rye
  • 3/4 oz Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaica Rum
  • 3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 3/4 oz Orgeat*
  • 10 drops Bittermen’s Elemakule Tiki Bitters
  • Garnish: Pineapple Spear Bunny Ears, pineapple chunk, Luxardo Maraschino Cherry

Combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into tall Tiki Mug over crushed ice and garnish.

*Every Orgeat is different, adjust according to the sweetness of your Orgeat.

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Cheers to y’all in this strange February weather!

Pérola Branca with Yaguara Cachaça

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

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Wooooah-ho-ho, y’all. Tiki The Snow Away + Yaguara Cachaça = a whole new world of tropical flavor! And this is my first ever Cachaça post! MAGICAL DREAMS DO COME TRUUUUE.

If you want to share a tropical drink during the month of January, use the hashtag #TikiTheSnowAway on Instagram and Twitter, or tag u/homebargirl on reddit.

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I’ve tasted Cachaça before, had a Caipirinha or two, but I’ve never been truly excited about this spirit until now. Yaguara is by far the best, smoothest, and tastiest of Cachaças with notes of Banana, Strawberry, Coconut, a bit of grassy funk, and a whole lot of YASSSS GURRRRL.

It’s divine and I’m putting it in everything I possibly can, including the following drink.

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Pearly, sensuous, giant mint hat.

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Here are your cast of characters: Yaguara Cachaça, Grand Marnier, Orgeat, Lemon Juice.

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Pérola Branca 

  • 1 1/2 oz Yaguara Cachaça
  • 1/2 oz Grand Marnier*
  • 3/4 oz Orgeat**
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • Garnish: the biggest Mint bouquet of all time

Combine ingredients over ice and shake like a rocket. Strain into double Rocks glass over crushed ice. Garnish with the biggest Mint bouquet of all time.

*Magically enough, dry Curaçao works just as well at 1/2 oz.

**Every Orgeat is different, some sweeter, some more dry, adjust accordingly.

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Cheers! May all your Tiki The Snow Away drinks be sensational and may you enjoy Yaguara Cachaça as much as I am.

Frankie’s Tropical Holiday

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Hey! Hey! Hey! all you Tiki The Snow Away party people! I’ve got a big drink today with Fernet Francisco that I’m pretty psyched about, so let’s get to it!

If you want to share a tropical drink during the month of January, use the hashtag #TikiTheSnowAway on Instagram and Twitter, or tag u/homebargirl on reddit.

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Around a week ago, Fernet Francisco posted a comment on my Instagram account that if I made any Tiki drinks with their Fernet, I should let them know about it. I actually had that thought way back in November but then totally forgot about it! Whoops.

So, to all my Bay Area Fernet drinking people, this drink is for you. A love letter from my expatriated heart to you and your obsession with all things Amari and all things excessive. May you have many big, boozy, fruity, Rum + Fernet drinks and may they all slap a smile on your face.

And to Fernet Francisco I say, “I love you, you beautiful thing, you.”

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Here are the cast of characters for this totally over-the-top Tiki drink:

  1. Fernet Francisco: super minty and fresh tasting, with loads of herbaceousness. Tastes and smells like plants from the Bay Area which actually poses a challenge when creating a Tiki drink. Therefore, I put it with my two fave Rums
  2. Denizen Aged White & Merchant’s Reserve Rums: LORDT knows how I love these Rums. They’re dry, deep, fruity, funky, wonderful and provide an excellent foundation in a big Tiki drink. Oh and they go sooooooo well together as a split base.
  3. Orgeat + Cane Syrup + Lime + Grapefruit + Pineapple: a helluva lot of juice and sweetness right? This combo is a total Tiki knockout. No lie, try it. The supa-fresh mintiness in the Fernet Francisco was crying out for Grapefruit and Pineapple. I added Lime for length & tartness, Orgeat for creaminess, and Cane Syrup cause this is a blended drink.

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Garnish Kween is back again with the Pineapple Spear Bunny Ears, Grapefruit Peel Rose wrapped, and speared around a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry. A fun straw is always welcome!

Frankie’s Tropical Holiday

  • 1 oz Fernet Francisco
  • 1 1/2 oz Denizen Aged White Rum
  • 1 1/2 oz Denizen Merchant’s Reserve Rum
  • 3/4 oz Orgeat
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • 1 1/2 oz Red Grapefruit Juice
  • 3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
  • 3/4 oz Cane Sugar Syrup*
  • Garnish: Pineapple Spear Bunny Ears, Luxardo Maraschino Cherry in Grapefruit peel Rose, plastic Sword

Combine ingredients and blend with ~6 oz Crushed Ice for 7 seconds. Pour, garnish and serve in 16 oz Tiki Mug.

*The amount of Cane Syrup depends on how sweet your Orgeat and Red Grapefruit Juice are. Increase or reduce accordingly.

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Cheers to all y’all and may your Amari-Tiki be delicious!

Beach Nut Punch

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Hey, y’all. Ever had one of those days where you wish you were at the beach by an actual jungle, and not stomping around the concrete jungle?

Me too.

My still-tanned girlfriend and I returned from Tulum, MX two weeks AGO (how the tiiiiiiime flies), but seriously y’all, I MISS IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

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Well, since I can’t be living that beach life all the time, I thought I’d shake off my landlocked sadness with a tasty tropical cocktail.

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For this particular recipe, I started with Apricot Liqueur and worked my way along. Apricot and almond flavors go really well together, so I grabbed the Orgeat syrup, and a Lime from my fridge. Then it was time to pick a Rum. Hmmm. Which Rum? An Aged Rum! I have a few Aged Rums in my home bar and decided to go with Angostura 7 Year, a molasses based Trinidadian Rum, because it has a bit of funk to it and a short finish. For the final ingredient, it seemed natural to add a couple of dashes of Angostura Bitters.

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Beach Nut Punch

  • 2 oz Angostura 7 Year Rum (sub: aged Jamaican Rum)
  • 1/4 oz Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Orgeat
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Garnish: Maraschino Cherries

Combine ingredients over ice and rapidly shake. Double strain into coupe and garnish.

IMPORTANT: Though I’ve called this drink a “punch” (because it has Spirit, spice, water, citrus), it’s really a cocktail or a “Punch for One.” I just really liked the way the phrase Beach Nut Punch sounds.

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Cheers! May this tasty drink make you feel like you’ve escaped to the beach!

Denizen Merchant’s Reserve + Mai Tai

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

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Back in July, Nick Pelis, the founder of Denizen Rum, emailed me to say thank you for using their Denizen Aged White Rum in so many of my cocktails. He then offered a bottle of Merchant’s Reserve if I’d like to use it in some recipes. I replied with, “oh my gosh, no, thank you!” because y’all, I LOVE DENIZEN RUM! I’ve used it more than all other Rums cause it plays well with others and is so damn tasty.

Well, after a couple months of email-tag, I’ve got my bottle of Merchant’s Reserve and it’s just as wonderful as the Denizen Aged White!

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BEHOLD! FEAST YOUR EYES ON THE GLORY!

The first and perhaps most important thing to note on the label are the words, “Rum” and “Rhum”. Both at the same time, on the same label…do you catch what I’m getting at? It’s both aged Jamaican Rum & Martinique Rhum blended together!

The flavor profile is out of the world: funky and grassy, sweetly caramel and dry, fruity and herbaceous. It’s the best of both worlds at the same time and it totally works.

In one of my emails with Nick, he referred me to this Cocktail Wonk review, (highly recommend) that contained a very important bit of info down in the comments section by one Martin Cate. Namely, Denizen Merchant’s Reserve was created to be akin to the Rum in one of the original Trader Vic Mai Tai recipes!

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With that bit of information in mind, I thought, well the very first drink I make with this Rum will most definitely be a Mai Tai!

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And it’s the best damn Mai Tai I’ve ever made! The complexity, dryness, grassy and funky notes make the Merchant’s Reserve the best Rum for a Mai Tai. Like soooooo, so, so the best.

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I don’t have Curaçao at home, so I used Cointreau instead. Killer. Supremely delicious. Tears of happiness.

Denizen Merchant’s Reserve Mai Tai

  • 2 oz Denizen Merchant’s Reserve
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau or Dry Curaçao
  • 1/2 oz Orgeat*
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • Garnish: Lime shell, Mint sprig

Combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into double Rocks glass over cracked or crushed ice and garnish.

*Depending on the kind of Orgeat you have, you may want to use 1/4 oz Orgeat & 1/4 oz Cane Simple Syrup. My Orgeat the BG Reynolds kind and isn’t very creamy.

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There will be many more Denizen Merchant’s Reserve cocktails in our future. Stay tuned! Thank you Nick for the supremely delicious bottle!