Mai Tai
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 15.3% ABV ∙
The Mai Tai is a tiki rum sour of blended rums with orange curaçao, orgeat, and citrus, shaken, served over crushed ice, and topped with aged rum.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice, except the Caribbean aged rum 15 ml: White rum 30 mlSpiced rum 15 mlOrange curaçao liqueur 15 mlAmaretto liqueur 10 mlPineapple purée 20 mlLime juice 15 mlLemon juice 15 mlOrgeat (almond) syrup 10 ml
- Pour into the glass filled 2/3 with ice
- Add a little crushed ice
- Add Caribbean aged rum to form a layer
- Top off the glass with the crushed ice
- Garnish with a lime wheel, a bouquet of a mint sprig and a fruit skewer
Tips
- Shake hard with crushed or shaved ice for about 10 seconds; the meltwater is part of the drink, not a flaw.
- Taste and adjust the orgeat against the lime, so neither the almond nor the sourness takes over.
- Leave the Caribbean aged rum out of the shaker. Pour it over the crushed ice at the end so it sits as a darker layer on top.
History
Victor J. "Trader Vic" Bergeron claimed to have invented the Mai Tai in 1944 at his restaurant, Trader Vic's, in Oakland, California. A rival claim credits Donn Beach, founder of the bar Don the Beachcomber, who said he first created it in 1933, though a longtime colleague argued Beach was really pointing to his own Q.B. Cooler as the basis. The name is said to come from maitaʻi, the Tahitian word for "good" or "excellence."
Bergeron introduced it to Hawaii in 1953 when he created a cocktail menu for the Royal Hawaiian and Moana hotels of the Matson shipping company, and by 1959 a newspaper dubbed it the "top tourist tantalizer." It later became a defining drink of Tiki culture, and Oakland named it the city's official cocktail.
FAQ
What is a Mai Tai made of?
Classically, rum, orange curaçao, orgeat (almond) syrup, and fresh lime juice. This version uses three rums (30 ml white, 15 ml spiced, 15 ml Caribbean aged) and adds amaretto, pineapple purée, and lemon juice to the curaçao, orgeat, and lime.
Is a Mai Tai shaken or stirred?
Shaken. Everything except the Caribbean aged rum is shaken hard with ice and poured over ice, then topped with crushed ice; the aged rum goes on last as a layer.
What glass is a Mai Tai served in?
This Mai Tai is served in a double old-fashioned glass over crushed ice, garnished with a lime wheel, a mint sprig, and a fruit skewer.
Is a Mai Tai a strong drink?
Yes, fairly strong. It carries 60 ml of rum plus curaçao and amaretto, and this recipe lands around 15.3% ABV, so the sweetness masks a real rum punch.
What is the original Mai Tai?
The original Trader Vic's Mai Tai from 1944 was simpler: aged rum, orange curaçao, orgeat, lime juice, and a touch of syrup, with no other fruit juice. The pineapple and orange juice associated with the drink came later, added to Hawaiian versions in the 1950s and after.
What is a substitute for orgeat in a Mai Tai?
Orgeat is an almond syrup, so a plain almond syrup is the closest swap. In a pinch, simple syrup with a few drops of almond extract gives a similar flavor, though the drink will be less silky. Amaretto has the same nutty note, but this recipe already uses 10 ml of it, so more makes the drink sweeter and stronger.
