Classic mai tai cocktail
PHOTOGRAPHY FROM SPIRITED: COCKTAILS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BY ADRIENNE STILLMAN, PHAIDON.
A classic cocktail synonymous with good times, this mai tai recipe will be a hit at your next social gathering.
Origin: California, United States, 1920s-1940s
Legend has it that when Trader Vic created this cocktail in the 1940s, his Tahitian friends pronounced it “mai tai roa,” which translates to “awesome”. Contrary to popular belief, a classic mai tai does not call for a rum float.
Trader Vic’s original calls for Wray & Nephew 17-year rum, which no longer exists. Jeff “Beachbum” Berry recommends using dark Jamaican rum, and aged rhum agricole is a good substitute. Alternatively, you can use 60ml of any aged rum.
Ingredients
30ml dark Jamaican rum
30ml rhum agricole vieux
15ml curaçao
30ml fresh lime juice
15ml Orgeat (almond syrup)
1/2 teaspoon rich simple syrup*
Lime shell and mint, to garnish
Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
2. Pour unstrained into a short glass.
3. Garnish with the empty lime shell and a mint sprig. Serve with a sustainable straw.
Dipsologist Adrienne Stillman has tirelessly grilled bartenders from Nairobi to Hong Kong, spending long nights sipping and sampling, to bring you this sumptuous summer favourite.
Spirited: Cocktails from around the world by Adrienne Stillman, Phaidon.