Mai Tai

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Cocktail History

The Mai Tai is a classic tiki cocktail that was created by Victor Bergeron in 1944 at Trader Vic’s, his Polynesian-themed restaurant and bar located in Emeryville, California. The recipe features many of the usual ingredients you’d expect in a tiki drink including rum, orange liqueur, and lime but adds orgeat, a French almond syrup with a sweet nutty flavor.

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Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

White Rum: This is a type of rum made with molasses or sugar cane juice and a neutral spirit that is filtered and bottled right away without the aging process. I used BACARDÍ Superior White Rum.

Orange Curaçao: This is a liqueur made with oranges, sugar, and brandy or rum. I used Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. I used freshly squeezed lime juice.

Orgeat Syrup: This is a sweetener made with roasted almonds, orange blossom, sugar, and water. I used Liber & Co. Almond Orgeat Syrup.

Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with sugarcane, spices, and alcohol that has been barrel aged for a long period of time. I used Mount Gay Eclipse Rum.

Mint Sprig: This is an herb. I used fresh Mojito mint.

Orchid Blossom: This is the flower of an orchid plant.

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Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Bar Spoon: This is used to add the rum float. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. I used one from the Homestia Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.

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Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Golden brown color

• Aroma: Florals, almond, and spices

• Taste: Sweet aged rum flavor accented with notes of citrus, nut, and mint

• Finish: Slight rum burn and almond aftertaste

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: "This was the very first tiki cocktail I ever tried, and I think that was the right choice because it's such a good gateway drink to get you dreaming of hot summer days in the sand. The taste of rum is there, but it's balanced well by the citrus and almond. Overall, the classic Mai Tai is an inoffensive tropical recipe that I can't imagine anyone not enjoying. As is the case with most, it's a classic for a reason!"

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Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.