Trader Vic's Premium Original Formula Mai Tai Concentrate
Do not confuse this product (Mai Tai Concentrate) with Trader Vics retail product, Premium Original Mai Tai Mix. This is the stuff used in the Trader Vics restaurants and as it says right on the bottle, is for professional use only! Thanks to an unnamed source, agents from Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai were able to obtain a bottle of this stuff and were giving you the skinny here. Sure, you cant go out and buy this. But, if you see it used in your local watering hole, you can be assured of a very high-quality Mai Tai.
Mai Tai Concentrate comes in a standard 750 ml bottle. What isnt so standard is the dark brown, almost black color. Remember, this is a concentrated version of the Mai Tai Mix. The recipe calls for just 3/4 ounces of the Concentrate along with 2 ounces of rum and the juice of one lime. These ingredients are added to shaved ice and shaken. Although the color doesnt look like a Mai Tai made from scratch, the taste does not disappoint. We were able to easily make great tasting Mai Tais at home, which means youll be sure to get great tasting ones in a bar too. Just make sure your bar serves quality rum or else you will be disappointed. Bad rum can ruin a Mai Tai!
Please dont read this review and pester the nice folks at Trader Vics trying to obtain this stuff (besides, we prefer the retail version anyway). Instead, talk to your local bartender or restaurateur about using Trader Vics Mai Tai Concentrate!
We gave this drink our highest atmosphere rating because we felt like we were tasting forbidden fruit by being to drink in our home what is normally reserved for the Trader Vics experience!
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Atmosphere:
Date Visited: October 22, 1998
Reviewed By: Kevin Crossman