The Mai Tai is one of the most iconic, classic tiki drinks that is simple but filled with complex flavors that will transport you to a beachside bar. I love the mix of sweet and sour ingredients that still let the funky Jamaican rum shine in a perfectly balanced flavor dance. Although you can find mai tais in giant hurricane glasses with bright red or orange colors and big fruity flavors, those aren’t the real thing and they don’t hold a candle to the flavors of the original.
all about spirits:
Jamaican Rum
Perfect for a Mai Tai, Jamaican rum has a funkier flavor than most of your average rums thanks to the unique pure cane juice method used for fermentation. It’s often aged in barrels that impart coconut or vanilla notes in the rum.
The mai tai was invented in 1944 by tiki-legend Trader Vic at his Oakland restaurant. The story goes that he wanted to create a new classic drink and when he served this one up to his friends visiting from Tahiti, one proclaimed “Maita’i Roe A’e” which translates roughly to “out of this world – the best.” And the rest is history!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to recreate this Mai Tai recipe at home:
- Jamaican aged rum – Jamaican rum is the flagship rum for Mai Tai recipes. I like one that’s aged like this 8 year or this 12 year blend to get the most classic flavors, but any Jamaican or aged rum will work in a pinch.
- Dry curaçao – Curaçao is unique and fairly specifically flavored orange liqueur that originated from dried bitter orange peels grown in, you guessed it, Curaçao. I had a chance to visit the original distillery on the island years ago, and it was pretty cool. Curaçao is a specific type of triple sec, but because it’s made with a heavier base spirit than average triple secs, it has more depth of flavor. Pierre Ferrand is a good brand for curaçao that will keep the balance of the mai tai in check, but if you can’t find it, Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or even run of the mill triple sec will work.
- Lime juice – Unlike a lot of commercial mai tai recipes, this is the only juice you need to make a real one.
- Orgeat – Pronounced “or·zhaat,” orgeat is a rich and thick almond syrup that has good almond flavor and is common in tiki drinks.
- Simple syrup – You’ll need just a touch more sweetness without adding more almond flavor from the orgeat.
- Angostura aromatic bitters – Although not part of the original Trader Vic’s recipe, these bitters are common in Mai Tai recipes. You can skip them if you prefer but I really like them in there to help balance the sweetness of the orgeat and simple.
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Recipe
Mai Tai
Ingredients
- 2 oz Jamaican aged rum
- 1/4 oz Grand Marnier or dry curaçao
- 1 oz lime juice
- 1/2 oz orgeat
- 1/4 oz simple syrup
- 1 dash angostura aromatic bitters
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake for 3-5 seconds until chilled.
- Strain into a double old fashioned glass, then pack with pebble ice. Garnish with a mint bouquet and lime wheel.
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