being a recently converted Tiki enthusiast, I've been experimenting with a number of fine Tiki drinks, including the Mai Tai.  It's hard to go too wrong with a decently made Mai Tai, but there's still room for both error and improvement.  After checking out some of the advice on Tiki Central, last night I tried one with fresh Key lime juice (instead of fresh Meyer lime) and homemade Orgeat (made to this recipe) instead of the commercial Torani stuff.  The improvement was quite noticeable, and even Vikki liked it (she's not generally a Mai Tai fan).  The Key lime juice was sweeter, and less bitter, and the homemade Orgeat was less sweet, and not so artificially almondy.  So altogether:

2 oz. Appleton Estate Jamaican rum

1.5 oz. Key lime juice

.75 oz. Bols Curacao (the only brand I could find)

.5 oz. orgeat

.5 Malibu coconut rum (not traditional, perhaps, but a very nice addition)

This weekend Vikki and I got a chance to go to a Scotch tasting event put on by the Scotch Malt Whiskey Society of America.  It was held in the very lovely Ranier Club in Seattle.  We had fun getting dressed up and hobnobbing over dinner, lots of Scotch, and cigars (although under WA state law, you couldn’t actually smoke the cigars :-) ).  While not an inexpensive event, it was an oppurtunity to try some Scotches I otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford.  I’ve been known to buy the (very) occasional ~$100 bottle of Scotch, but $250 – $300 is pretty much out of my price range.  Some of the real standouts were the Balvennie and Highland Park 30yr., the Balvennie 25yr., and a Talisker special addition 175th anniversay bottling.  The kind of stuff that would run you $25–$30 a shot in a bar, if you could find it.  The Macallan 17yr “Fine Oak” was also very nice, as was the Glenrothes “Special Reserve”. 

Anyway, much fun, good food, good friends, and some truly amazing Scotch to boot.  What’s not to like.  If you get a chance, and you’re into such things, check out their calendar of events on the website for a venue near you.