drink · Drink
How to Make a Mai Tai
A proper mai tai balances aged rum with orange curaçao, orgeat syrup, and fresh lime juice. Skip the grenadine and pineapple juice — those belong in other drinks. The key is using quality aged rum and real orgeat, not artificial almond syrup.
- Total time: 10 min
- Hands-on: 10 min
- Serves: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 2 oz aged dark rum
- ½ oz orange curaçao
- ½ oz orgeat syrup
- ¼ oz simple syrup
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- crushed ice crushed ice
Step by step
- Prepare your glass. Fill a rocks glass or mai tai mug with crushed ice. If you don't have crushed ice, wrap cubes in a clean kitchen towel and bash them with a rolling pin until broken into small pieces.
- Measure the spirits. Pour 2 ounces aged rum into a cocktail shaker. Use a dark rum like Myers's or Appleton Estate — avoid light rum. Add ½ ounce orange curaçao. Cointreau works if you can't find curaçao.
- Add the syrups. Pour in ½ ounce orgeat syrup and ¼ ounce simple syrup. Orgeat is almond syrup — you can find it at liquor stores or make your own. Don't substitute with regular almond extract.
- Add lime juice. Squeeze 1 ounce fresh lime juice directly into the shaker. One large lime usually gives you about an ounce. Roll the lime on the counter first to break down the membranes inside.
- Shake hard. Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. You want the outside of the shaker to become frosty. This properly chills and dilutes the drink.
- Strain and serve. Strain the mixture over the crushed ice in your glass. Float ½ ounce dark rum on top by pouring it slowly over the back of a bar spoon. Garnish with a lime wheel and mint sprig.
Tips & troubleshooting
- Make orgeat syrup by blending 1 cup almonds with 1 cup hot water, steeping for 30 minutes, then straining and adding equal parts sugar
- Crush ice in batches and store in the freezer — it melts quickly and you'll need plenty for tiki drinks
- Use a proper rocks glass or ceramic tiki mug — the vessel affects how the drink tastes and feels
- Float the dark rum by pouring it very slowly over the back of a spoon held just above the drink surface
- Buy orgeat from Small Hand Foods or Liber & Co if you don't want to make your own — avoid artificial versions
Variations
- Trader Vic's Original. Use 1 ounce aged Jamaican rum, 1 ounce aged Martinique rum, and skip the simple syrup. This is closer to the 1944 original recipe.
- Royal Hawaiian. Add ¼ ounce pineapple juice and use macadamia nut syrup instead of orgeat. Popular at tiki bars in Hawaii.
- Navy Strength. Use overproof rum (57% ABV or higher) for a stronger drink. Reduce to 1½ ounces total rum to keep it balanced.
Questions
- Can I use white rum instead of aged rum?
- No. White rum lacks the complexity and body that makes a mai tai work. The aged rum provides caramel and vanilla notes that balance the citrus and almond flavors.
- What's the difference between orgeat and almond syrup?
- Orgeat is made from almonds and often includes orange flower water or rose water. Regular almond syrup is usually artificial flavoring. Orgeat has a more complex, floral taste.
- Why doesn't my mai tai taste like the ones at chain restaurants?
- Most chain restaurants serve fruit punch with rum and call it a mai tai. A real mai tai has no pineapple juice, grenadine, or fruit punch mix — just rum, citrus, and almond syrup.
- How do I float rum on top properly?
- Hold a bar spoon upside down just above the drink surface. Pour the rum very slowly over the back of the spoon. The spoon breaks the pour and helps the rum layer on top.
- Can I make mai tais ahead for a party?
- Mix everything except the rum float and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours. Shake with ice and strain into glasses when ready to serve, then add the float.