The classic mai tai cocktail is arguably the most well-known tiki drink (though the zombie is justifiably infamous), and it remains popular despite the many issues of tiki itself. Credit for the concoction is usually given to Vic Bergeron, who first put it on the menu at his Oakland, California, tiki establishment, Trader Vic’s, in 1944. His mai tai recipe was a simple affair, combining fresh lime juice and simple syrup with almond-scented orgeat, orange curaçao, and aged pot-still rum, which were shaken together and served in a tall glass with crushed ice.
This rendition combines aged and dark rums for body and complexity, and calls for freshly squeezed orange juice to be added in with the lime. It also swaps in Cointreau for the curaçao, and gets a dash of ruby-hued grenadine along with the orgeat (Small Hands Foods makes both). Shaken and served on the rocks with an orange slice for garnish, it’s a fruity but balanced take on the original.
Recipe information
Total Time
3 minutes
Yield
Makes 1 drink
Ingredients
Preparation
Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with 1 cup ice cubes, then strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice cubes.
Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in the May 2003 issue of ‘Gourmet.’ Head this way for more of our favorite summer drinks →
Recipe notes
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