Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/164544
Drink Along with Vic Recipes from Vic Robles, Arroyo Chop House, Pasadena, CA My Tai Chai ◗ 2 oz. Black Mask Tropical Chai Rum Vic Robles, Resident Bartender at Arroyo Chop House in Pasadena, CA and his Masked Rum Swizzle cocktail. ◗ 1 oz. orange curaçao ◗ ¾ oz. orgeat syrup ◗ ¾ oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice ◗ ¼ oz. housemade simple syrup from dishwasher to bar back and now, as the Resident Bartender, is a selftaught drink crafter. "He owns it," Coleman insists. "It's an inspired passion that has us all excited and anticipating great things." Challenged to initiate the Black Mask Rum on-premise launch, Robles was handed a bottle of the brand's Tropical Chai flavor and left to concoct a signature drink for the restaurant. Right before our eyes, we witnessed the creation of a tropical wonder in an 11½-inch Spiegelau beer glass: the My Tai Chai. "I came here from Mexico 16 years ago, when I was 18," Robles tells THE TASTING PANEL when asked how he was able to transform the dignified oldschool bar into a modern destination spot at Arroyo Chop House. "I have been researching and reading about cocktails—and I am Facebook friends with other bartenders as well as THE TASTING PANEL." ◗ Top with crushed ice. Build a "nest" of crushed ice and add two Luxardo Maraschino cherries. Slap side of glass with mint to impart oils (when you pick up the glass, your fingers will have a lingering mint aroma). The Masked Rum Swizzle ◗ 1½ oz. Black Mask Original Spiced Rum Tasting Notes: ◗ 1 oz. passion fruit juice ◗ ¾ oz. fresh tangerine juice ◗ 1 oz. John D. Taylor's Velvet Black Mask Tropical Chai Rum ◗ Garnish with banana leaf, Tongue-nipping spice up front tingles while the aromatics of orange peel and cinnamon linger. Almond and pineapple remind us of a tropical getaway. The chai tea comes through the middle—recognizable and authentic, with a subtle complexity of tobacco leaf and a sweetness from mango on the finish. —Meridith May & Vic Robles Falernum Liqueur tall swizzle stick, mint leaves and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve in a pewter mug with lots of crushed ice. 82 / the tasting panel / september 2013 TP0913_063-103.indd 82 8/22/13 9:23 PM