Mai Tai
A benchmark tiki rum cocktail with aged rum, lime, orgeat, and orange liqueur over crushed ice.
The Mai Tai is a cornerstone tiki cocktail that layers aged rum with lime, orgeat, and orange liqueur. The rum provides structure and depth, while orgeat adds almond richness and a subtle floral note. Fresh lime and curaçao or triple sec bring acidity and orange sweetness that tie the drink together. Served over crushed ice with a mint bouquet and spent lime shell, it should taste rich, tart, and complex rather than sugary.
Ingredients
- • 2 oz aged rum
- • 1 oz fresh lime juice
- • 0.5 oz orange cura√ßao
- • 0.5 oz orgeat syrup
- • 0.25 oz simple syrup (optional, to taste)
Did you know?
“Most historians credit Victor ‚ÄúTrader Vic‚Äù Bergeron with creating the Mai Tai in the 1940s in Oakland, serving it to Tahitian guests who reportedly exclaimed 'Maita‚Äôi roa ae' meaning 'very good'. Smuggler‚Äôs Cove and other tiki research trace how the recipe shifted as original Jamaican and Martinique rums became harder to source. Earlier claims from Don the Beachcomber‚Äôs camp describe related rum and lime formulas, which fuels an ongoing origin debate. Modern tiki bartenders, guided by research from Smuggler‚Äôs Cove, Beachbum Berry, and others, have largely restored a drier, rum-focused profile close to the original intent.”
Bartender's Note
Use a characterful aged rum or a blend, a quality orgeat with real almond, and avoid over-sweetening so the drink stays bright and rum-forward.
How to make the Mai Tai
- 1Add aged rum, fresh lime juice, orange curaçao, orgeat, and simple syrup (if using) to a shaker with ice
- 2Shake until well chilled
- 3Strain over crushed ice into an old-fashioned glass
- 4Garnish with a spent lime shell and a mint sprig and serve with a short straw
