Rum experts at Newcastle’s newest bar have launched their own, Tyneside version of a Caribbean cocktail classic.
The team at Colonel Porter’s Tavern, Botanical Garden and Rhum Bar, at Milburn House, Dean Street, have concocted the Whey Aye Mai Tai.
And they hope the tipple will not only be a hit with customers, but will also help them win a major industry award.
In creating the drink, duty manager and chief mixologist, Philip ‘PJ’ John, has stuck to the traditional combination of rum, almond syrup and orange liqueur.
“By using Chairman’s White Label rum – which is made with thick molasses and aged in copper stills – and replacing lime with grapefruit juice, we have given it a very fresh and clean taste,” he said.
“And by garnishing it with fresh mint and pink grapefruit we have made it less Caribbean in flavour while still recognisable to lovers of the original Mai Tai.”
From 6 September, the venue, which has a dedicated rum bar with more than 100 varieties of the spirit, plans to hold Mai Tai Mondays when drinkers can try the Whey Aye Mai Tai at a reduced price of two for £10.
They can also enjoy urban, RnB and soul classics from DJ Wayne C Macdonald and
for diners, the daily specials menu, which costs £10.95 for two courses and £13.95 for three courses is extended until 8pm.
PJ and his team also hope their Whey Aye Mai Tai will lead the bar to victory at the prestigious annual Chairman’s Reserve cocktail competition.
“We will be up against competition from hundreds of bars across the UK,” he said, “but as Colonel Porter himself was one of the inventors of Newcastle Brown Ale, it would be brilliant if we could follow in his footsteps with an award-winning invention of our own.
Colonel Porter’s is open from 12.01pm to 12.31am from Monday to Thursday, from
11.59am to 2.01am on Friday and Saturday and from 12.01pm to 12.01am on Sunday.
For further information, call 0191 261 7600, visit www.colonelporters.co.uk or email enquiries@colonelporters.co.uk.