MAI TAI
The Mai Tai is one of the most famous Tiki drinks in the world. Composed of rum, orange curaçao, fresh lime juice and orgeat (a nuanced almond syrup), it’s held sway over cocktail enthusiasts and Tiki aficionados for decades. It even enjoyed a star turn in the Elvis film “Blue Hawaii.” Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron is often credited with inventing the drink at his Trader Vic’s bar in the 1940s, though it’s likely that Donn Beach laid the groundwork for the famous recipe during the 1930s at his Don the Beachcomber bar. The original Trader Vic’s recipe featured Jamaica’s J. Wray & Nephew rum. Once Bergeron ran out of his supply, he moved to blending rums in an attempt to create a similar flavor profile.
Ingredients
- 2 Oz. (60 ml) Aged rum (or a blend of rums)
- 3/4 Oz. (22.5 ml) Fresh lime juice
- 1/2 Oz. (15 ml) Orange curaçao
- 1/2 Oz. (15 ml) Orgeat syrup
- Simple syrup, optional to taste
Method
- Shake aged rum, orange curaçao, lime juice and orgeat with crushed ice briefly, then pour into a tiki glass and mound with more crushed ice. Garnish with mint and a lime shell. If blending rums, reserve a small portion of the same measured total for an optional float; do not add extra rum beyond the stated amount.
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