Mai Tai: Iconic Tiki Rum Cocktail

The Mai Tai cocktail isn't just the most iconic tiki drink. It's also a classic rum cocktail that's easy to craft at home and even easier to sip.

Mai TaiPhoto by2foodtrippers

Saying the words 'mai tai' makes us smile and elicits thoughts of sandy beaches and swaying palm trees. But better than saying the words, we love sipping Mai Tai cocktails whether we're on vacation, in a bar or at home.

And, since mai tai loosely translates to the best in Tahitian, we're clearly not the only ones who've elevated this drink to an exalted status.

What Is the Mai Tai Cocktail?

The Mai Tai cocktail, crafted with two different rums, orange liqueur, orgeat syrup and fresh lemon juice isn't only a classic cocktail and tiki tipple. It's also a summer sipper that ranks as one of the world's most popular drinks.

In terms of taste, the Mai Tai is simultaneously sweet and sour with a noticeable kick of rum. The potent potable gets nutty sweetness from orgeat syrup while fresh lime juice brings a pucker to the party.

And finally, it's a drink with a controversial past...

History of the Mai Tai Cocktail

The Mai Tai was invented by Victor Bergeron at the original Trader Vic's in Oakland, California in 1944. Or was it? Donn Beach allegedly crafted a similar cocktail at the original Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood a decade earlier.

Both tiki pioneers claimed credit for the Mai Tai and no one truly knows who originated the cocktail concept.

What we do know is that the tiki cocktail classic has evolved since either Bergeron or Beach crafted the original Mai Tai. Over the years, it's become associated with Hawaii, both the state and the Elvis movie. Its recipe has changed too.

Some mixologists have added pineapple and orange juices to the Mai Tai recipe while others have altered its garnishes to include pineapple wedges and maraschino cherries. In the long run, there's no wrong version except for ones made with Mai Tai mix.

Ingredients

The ingredients for a Mai Tai vary based on which recipe you follow. After much experimentation, we now craft Mai Tai cocktails with the following ingredients:

• 1½ ounces aged rum
• ½ ounce dark rum
• ¾ ounce orange liqueur
• ½ ounce orgeat syrup
• ¾ ounce lime juice
• crushed ice
• pineapple wedge (garnish)
• maraschino cherry (garnish)
• ice cubes (for shaking)

Despite the Mai Tai's tropical flavors, none of these ingredients is particularly exotic. You should be able to source them all at your local market or liquor store.

Channeling the original Mai Tai, we use two rums in our recipe. Specifically, we use Havana Club Ańejo (i.e. aged) Especial Rum and Appleton Estate's Reserve Blend Jamaican Rum. We also use Cointreau, our preferred triple-sec liqueur.

Monin produces our go-to orgeat syrup. It's a a premium product infused with almonds and sugar. The sweet, nutty, opaque white syrup has no artificial sweeteners.

How to Craft a Mai Tai Cocktail

Once you assemble the necessary ingredients and bar tools, the first step is to measure the aged or white rum, the orange liqueur, the orgeat syrup and the freshly squeezed lime juice. We use a Japanese jigger for this step to ensure accurate measurements.

Immediately pour each liquid into a shaker. We use a Boston shaker to avoid spillage. As a bonus, our Boston shaker is also easy to clean.

Add ice cubes to the shaker and shake until the ingredients are chilled and combined - approximately 20 seconds.

After you partially fill a lowball glass with crushed ice, strain the shaken cocktail into the glass.

Using the back of a bar spoon, float the dark rum over the cocktail.

Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a maraschino cherry or two.

Feel free to get creative with the garnishes. You may want to decorate the glass with pineapple leaves or you can go old school with a lime shell and mint sprig.

Alternatives

Will our favorite Mai Tai be your favorite Mai Tai too? The best way to find out is to craft a few variations and try them all. We recommend staring with the following variations:

• Add simple syrup to craft a sweeter Mai Tai cocktail.
• Reduce the lime juice to craft a less tart Mai Tai cocktail.
• Add orange juice and/or pineapple juice to craft a fruitier Mai Tai cocktail.
• Experiment with different rums. For example, using a darker rum for the floater will create a more defined top layer.

This recipe was originally published on 2foodtrippers. Consider subscribing to 2foodtrippers if you enjoyed it.