Mai Tai

This classic is one of the least understood tropical cocktails. Over the years, many renditions have appeared—some made in a blender or using blue Curaçao, for example—but many of them have no relationship to each other apart from the name. Here, Shannon Mustipher, author of Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails, uses a blend of rums with grassy, vegetal notes to achieve the same effect as Trader Vic’s original recipe, which used a rum that is no longer in production. Lime and mint add brightness to the drink. Orgeat, a classic tiki ingredient, is an almond syrup that is a natural bedfellow for the earthy, funky flavors in Caribbean rums. Although you could make your own, Shannon is happy to use the high-quality ones made by Small Hand Foods or Beachbum Berry, which are now widely available in better liquor stores and online.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz. (60 ml) aged rum, preferably Hamilton 86 Demerara Rum
  • 1/2 oz. (15 ml) rhum Agricole blanc, preferably Paranubes
  • 1/2 oz. (15 ml) orange Curaçao
  • 1/2 oz. (15 ml) orgeat
  • 1/2 oz. (15 ml) fresh lime juice, lime shell reserved
  • Mint sprig for garnish

Directions:

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the rums, orange Curaçao, orgeat and lime juice. Shake until well chilled, then pour into a double old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a mint sprig and the reserved lime shell. Makes 1 drink.

Reprinted from ©Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails by Shannon Mustipher, Rizzoli, 2019