Smith & Cross, named for two 18th century London rum traders, is very proud of its funk. The label touts it as a badge of honor, proclaiming that it contains only Wedderburn and Plummer pot still distillate, both high ester styles of Jamaican rum that went out of vogue generations ago (although some are starting to return; see here and here). It’s bottled at navy strength without chill filtration, so by all accounts, this thing should be a full-throttled flavor bomb. In his 1972 "Bartender's Guide", Vic calls for 1 ounce of dark Jamaican rum and 1 ounce of Martinique rum in his Mai Tai. Wray and Nephew 17 had already run out by the 1950s, and after series of alternatives, including Wray and Nephew 15, he had resorted to this blend in his restaurants.

Smith and Cross is made with a blend of rums from Jamaica. The rums are blended and then flavored with a mix of spices, which gives it its characteristic flavor.It’s also important to understand that Smith & Cross’s relatively high strength (57% ABV) heightens the perceived flavor intensity. If you diluted it to 43% ABV, a typical rum strength, its aroma and flavor wouldn’t seem so intense.

This is a question that has been asked by many people, and the answer is not a simple one. There are a few things that need to be taken into account when answering this question, such as the ingredients that are used and the cost of those ingredients. Well, there’s no one answer, but here are some guidelines: aged Jamaican is your best bet - though Barbados and Guyanese rums are great too - the older and darker the better. For best results, blend your rum with a ½ oz of Smith and Cross (as is written in the recipe above) which is ahigh octane (57% ABV!) pot still Jamaican rum. My favorite combo, so far, is a blend of 1½ oz El Dorado 15 (which is actually Guyanese) and ½ oz of Smith and Cross, but just about anything in this template isgreat.Throwing alittle aged Agricole rhum into the mix is nice too, say½ oz. For a budget option my go-to is Appleton Signature or Reserve. Bottled at 57% the rum is navy strength. This means it is (in old money) 100 proof. This simply means that if any of the spirit was spilt on board a British Royal Navy vessel, it would not affect the lighting of gunpowder. BOOOOOOOMMMMM! This is not to be confused with Navy Rum. Navy rum is traditionally more of a sweeter heavier mostly Demerara based rum, such as Lambs. It doesn’t necessarily have to be bottled at navy strength, though examples such as Pussers and Woods are. This is very definitely a Navy Strength Jamaican only style rum. Smith and Cross is a Jamaican rum that is made from a blend of both pot and column distilled rums. It is then aged in oak barrels for up to two years. Put the almonds and water in a blender and blend for on high for 1-2 minutes until the almonds are ground into meal-like consistency.Which rum to use in a Mai Tai is a whole odyssey in and of itself. Trader Vic (the creator the Mai Tai, see below) originally used Wray and Nephew 17 year, a supposedly transcendent bottling of Jamaican rum that is, sadly, now lost to us. But even if it wasn’t, not many of us could afford to put a 17-year old rum in a mixed drink. So the goal of any serious Mai Tai maker is to use something that echoes the original. But how do we know what it tasted like? Thankfully, Vic left us a roadmap, it just depends on how you read it. Smith & Cross is made from about equal parts Wedderburn and Plummer type distillates -- these are not still types, but rather a measure of the amount of esters in the finished product. Plummer rums are between 150 and 200 and Wedderburn distillates are over 200, where most rums fall in the 30-50 range. The Wedderburn is aged for less than a year, and the Plummer component is aged for between 18 and 36 months in white oak barrels. The reason for this confusion is that Ian Smith has been more involved in marketing and promoting Smith and Cross than Stephen Cross. This has led to many people believing that Ian Smith is the owner of the whisky.

Smith and Cross is also a good rum for sipping neat. It has a strong, spicy flavor that is perfect for those who enjoy a bold rum. The best part about this revelation is it turns out these rumsmake amazing Mai Tais! Sure, it's great that they're more authentic, but what really matters is that they’re more delicious.

Footnotes

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Piña Colada: The Piña Colada is a traditional Caribbean drink that is made with white rum, pineapple juice, and coconut cream. Strain through cheesecloth, a mesh chinois, or a coffee filter pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Make sure there is no sediment. This is your almond milk, it shouldyieldabout 1 cup.So, is Smith and Cross a good rum? The answer to that question is a bit complicated. It all depends on what you are looking for in a rum. If you are looking for a rum that is light and fruity, then Smith and Cross is not the right rum for you. However, if you are looking for a rum that has a lot of flavor and is a bit spicy, then Smith and Cross is definitely worth trying. What is a good drink to mix with rum? Mojito: The Mojito is a traditional Cuban drink that is made with white rum, lime juice, sugar, mint leaves, and sparkling water. Appleton Estate V/X is a Jamaican rum that scored a 94 out of 100 on the Beverage Testing Institute’s scale. It is a smooth and mellow rum with notes of caramel, toffee, and vanilla.