Mai Tai
Ingredients:
Serve in a Large Old-Fashioned glass
- 1 shot dark rum
- 1 shot white rum
- 1/2 shot triple sec
- 3/4 shot orgeat syrup
- 1 shot fresh lime juice
Garnish: 2-3 mint sprigs, 1 cherry (optional)
Tools & Equipment
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How to Make
- Add all the ingredients to your Boston shaker
- Shake and strain into a large old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice
- Crown with crushed ice
- Add the garnishes
About
A modern classic and arguably the most popular tiki drink on the planet. The Mai Tai cocktail was created by bartender “Trader” Vic Bergeron. In 1970, “Trader Vic” Bergeron wrote the following:
“I originated the Mai Tai and put together a bit of the background of the evolution of this drink…. In 1944, after success with several exotic rum drinks, I felt a new drink was needed. I thought about all the really successful drinks: martinis, manhattans, daiquiris… All basically simple drinks…. I took down a bottle of 17 year old rum. It was J. Wray Nephew from Jamaica; surprisingly golden in colour, medium bodied, but with rich pungent flavour particular to Jamaican blends…. I took a fresh lime, added some orange curaçao from Holland, a dash of Rock Candy Syrup, and a dollop of French Orgeat, for its subtle almond flavour. A generous amount of shaved ice and vigorous shaking by hand produced the marriage I was after. Half the lime shell went in for color…. I stuck in a branch of fresh mint and gave two of them to Ham and Carrie Guide, friends from Tahiti, who were there that night. Carrie took one sip and said, “Mai Tai— Roa Ai.” In Tahitian this means “Out of This World — The Best.” Well, that was that. I named the drink “Mai Tai.” … In fairness to myself and to a truly great drink, I hope you will agree when I say, “let’s get the record straight on the Mai Tai.”
The ingredients “Trader Vic” originally used are hard to come by today. So the above recipe is an excellent recipe that’s more accessible.
