The price of a round of drinks may be getting ever more expensive nowadays, but it’s a snip compared with what is on offer at Belfast’s Merchant Hotel. At £750, an original Trader Vic’s Mai Tai isn’t within everyone’s budget, but its hefty price tag has been enough to secure it the official title of the world’s most expensive cocktail. […]

The Merchant owns one of only six bottles in existence of 17-year-old Wray and Nephew Rum, which was used by trader Vic Bergeron to create the original Mai Tai over 60 years ago. “Nobody else in the world can do this cocktail, we’re the only bar,” explained the Merchant’s Bar and Potation Manager Sean Muldoon. And although the 750ml bottle itself may look rather nondescript, it is worth a whopping £26,000. “Due to the popularity of the Mai Tai when it was invented in 1944 the 17-year-old rum was used up and wasn’t made any more,” said Mr Muldoon. […]

However, a special batch of the 17-year-old rum was created recently, ostensibly for private gifts, but one of these was acquired by the Merchant. […] “When this bottle goes we will never be able to get another one,” said Mr Muldoon. For more information on the Merchant Hotel visit themerchanthotel.com