Oh baby, I'm all over this one! The Holmes Cay Grand Arome has become one of my favorites, and have been using a tsp to a quarter ounce in a Mai Tai, but this recipe is on another level. Definitely putting this together tonight! 👍💯
Check out, Wright & Brown Distillery in Oakland. They produce an over proof rum that's made from molasses sourced from the state of Louisiana. Ur vids top notch btw 🙌
Sounds vaguely similar to Clairin Le Rocher - which is one of the wildest Haitian Agricoles I've ever had. It's smokey, bacony, oily, fruity and yogurty all at the same time. I would put it down as an absolute must try for any advanced rum drinker. The insane mouthfeel is what really separates it from nearly any spirit I've ever had, 11/10.
As someone who has had both I’d say it’s rather different I think the grand arome is much more barbecue sauce and smoke than the industrial vegitalness of la rocher.
Very interesting.... I have the Holmes Cay No.2 Reunion Island and its wild as well. Very briney like you're drinking a jar of olive brine. Wonder if if could be subbed in the No. 3 place. Guess only one way to find out! Thanks again for the great and entertaining content!
I bought a bottle of this several months ago. When I tried it neat, the dominant nose and flavors were magic marker (LOTS of magic marker) and orange creamsicle. I liked the creamsicle, not so much the magic marker, and unfortunately adding water mostly diluted the creamsicle. I decided to do a side-by-side test of two Three Dots and a Dash, one made with Clement VSOP and one with the Holmes Cay. The idea was that Three Dots may have originally been made with molasses Martinique rum rather than agricole, and I honestly didn't love it when I previously made it with the VSOP. The magic marker note still came through in the cocktail, but I still preferred the Holmes Cay version to the Clement. The sweeter citrusy notes seemed to mesh better with the other ingredients than the grassier notes from the Clement. More recently I tried a Mai Tai with half Holmes Cay and half Blackwell and it came out pretty well. I swear the magic marker note wasn't as strong as it was when I first opened the bottle. I'm considering doing something extremely silly like buying some oak spirals normally used for aging wine and/or some spirit caramel to see what can be done with/to the Holmes Cay, but it's a rather expensive bottle to be messing around with that way.
Yeah, the "bandaids" note sounds an awful lot like a peated Scotch. "In it for the punishment" couldn't be a better description. Now I have to get a bottle of this stuff. 😂
Sounds to me like they just took a creol and a lontan grqnd arome from savanna and just rebottled it to be honest. You should come to paris. Savanna has a distributor, they have a lot of cool stuff like le must, creol straight 68
I adore my bottle of savanna lontan. Wonderful olive note. I enjoy sipping on it neat, but my own favorite Mai Tai is also very similar to this one, using a half ounce.
Mezcals seem to also take on the same Band-Aid aroma/flavor. I understand the description, as I may have licked a Band-Aid in my younger years. Maybe try a Naked and Famous sub for the Mezcal, and play around with it. Have you tried the Empirical x Doritos spirit?
@@makeanddrink It's interesting, they nailed the flavor pretty well. I've only made their Margarita recipe with it so far. I'm looking forward to playing around with it more.
Rum Fire was the first high ester rum that had that "industrial" sort of flavor to it for me. Off-putting at first, but then it became that something unique that I couldn't find elsewhere. Great video as always! As my friends describe it, it's like a hot pile of tires in the middle of carribbean banana plantation.
Oh baby, I'm all over this one! The Holmes Cay Grand Arome has become one of my favorites, and have been using a tsp to a quarter ounce in a Mai Tai, but this recipe is on another level. Definitely putting this together tonight! 👍💯
I normally love big bold rums like this, but I found this unpalatable when I tried it neat.
BUT it was an experience you'll never forget.
Wow, what a bold Mai Tai. Congrats Vince.
Just picked this up from a tasting
Check out, Wright & Brown Distillery in Oakland. They produce an over proof rum that's made from molasses sourced from the state of Louisiana. Ur vids top notch btw 🙌
Thank you!
Fantastic episode!
I have a closed bottle of Savanna Lontan 57 still. Need on make a Mai Tai with it soon.
This one's your best video yet. Wish there was a triple thumbs-up I could click on.
Sounds vaguely similar to Clairin Le Rocher - which is one of the wildest Haitian Agricoles I've ever had. It's smokey, bacony, oily, fruity and yogurty all at the same time. I would put it down as an absolute must try for any advanced rum drinker. The insane mouthfeel is what really separates it from nearly any spirit I've ever had, 11/10.
As someone who has had both I’d say it’s rather different I think the grand arome is much more barbecue sauce and smoke than the industrial vegitalness of la rocher.
I was thinking Clairin as well as soon as I clicked on this video. The Vaval comes to mind - is also very resiny and rubbery.
@@steve_matin was going to say the same thing. It's in the same vein as Clarin Vaval. Incredible stuff
does anyone know where Derek gets his shirts??
Nothing fancy or vintage. This one is Bonobos but several years old by now.
Very interesting.... I have the Holmes Cay No.2 Reunion Island and its wild as well. Very briney like you're drinking a jar of olive brine. Wonder if if could be subbed in the No. 3 place. Guess only one way to find out! Thanks again for the great and entertaining content!
It's quite different. #2 doesn't have any of the sweetness of #3.
I bought a bottle of this several months ago. When I tried it neat, the dominant nose and flavors were magic marker (LOTS of magic marker) and orange creamsicle. I liked the creamsicle, not so much the magic marker, and unfortunately adding water mostly diluted the creamsicle.
I decided to do a side-by-side test of two Three Dots and a Dash, one made with Clement VSOP and one with the Holmes Cay. The idea was that Three Dots may have originally been made with molasses Martinique rum rather than agricole, and I honestly didn't love it when I previously made it with the VSOP. The magic marker note still came through in the cocktail, but I still preferred the Holmes Cay version to the Clement. The sweeter citrusy notes seemed to mesh better with the other ingredients than the grassier notes from the Clement.
More recently I tried a Mai Tai with half Holmes Cay and half Blackwell and it came out pretty well. I swear the magic marker note wasn't as strong as it was when I first opened the bottle.
I'm considering doing something extremely silly like buying some oak spirals normally used for aging wine and/or some spirit caramel to see what can be done with/to the Holmes Cay, but it's a rather expensive bottle to be messing around with that way.
What about aged St Lucia rums in a Mai Tai, there are several that might match that old style Martinique molasses rum.
They're great. Some of the best one bottle Mai Tais you can make.
Love the subtle poly-grip opening of the bottle of orgeat there in the background =)
This Vince guy sounds like he really knows his tiki!
He tries his best
Yeah, the "bandaids" note sounds an awful lot like a peated Scotch. "In it for the punishment" couldn't be a better description. Now I have to get a bottle of this stuff. 😂
Sounds like the Rum version of Laphroaig with rubber and bandage tasting notes. I'd be interested in trying.
I drink scotch, and bandaids is spot on
Such a fun rum to cocktail! I’ll definitely make this
Sounds to me like they just took a creol and a lontan grqnd arome from savanna and just rebottled it to be honest. You should come to paris. Savanna has a distributor, they have a lot of cool stuff like le must, creol straight 68
I adore my bottle of savanna lontan. Wonderful olive note. I enjoy sipping on it neat, but my own favorite Mai Tai is also very similar to this one, using a half ounce.
Excellence rum actually ships to the usa and just like i thought this holmes key is a rebottling of thei lontan grand arome 57.5 batch 03.21
Mezcals seem to also take on the same Band-Aid aroma/flavor. I understand the description, as I may have licked a Band-Aid in my younger years. Maybe try a Naked and Famous sub for the Mezcal, and play around with it. Have you tried the Empirical x Doritos spirit?
Havent tried it and honestly not really looking to either. I like my Doritos crunchy.
@@makeanddrink It's interesting, they nailed the flavor pretty well. I've only made their Margarita recipe with it so far. I'm looking forward to playing around with it more.
I use this rum to make the best martini ever. Absolutely must try!
I sought out a bottle of this Holmes Cay Arome for this exact purpose. Agreed, no way ole trader vic was using a rum like this in the OG mai tai.
I much prefer a Mai Tai with a mix of aged Jamaican and agricole.
Very interesting recipe in this video though
Think Rum Fire would be too much? (It’s the only white Jamaican Overproof I’ve got on hand lol)
It wouldn't be too much but it will be completely different.
Oh totally. Just to clarify, I meant as a sub for the Rum-Bar, not the Grand Arome.
Oh got it. Still probably a little too much funk. The RumBar is definitely milder
Shout out to the slip joint pliers 🔧
Craftsman Robogrip. Wish I had more!
Rum Fire was the first high ester rum that had that "industrial" sort of flavor to it for me. Off-putting at first, but then it became that something unique that I couldn't find elsewhere. Great video as always! As my friends describe it, it's like a hot pile of tires in the middle of carribbean banana plantation.
That just doesn't sound appetizing, lol.
It’s a definitely a different funk than Jamaican and not fruity. Just band aide.
Is it like an Islay whiskey? Thx for the insight - will def have to try in a bar first...
Yes, definitely try in a bar. I wish I would have
IMO it is uniquely it's own thing
Dude, you need to do a rum tasting course for Patreon and UA-cam sponsors. Seriously...
That would be fun!