Trader Vic’s Mai Tai

The Mai Tai might be the most famous Hawaiian cocktail. There are many different Mai Tai recipes that claim to be original. This version is a recipe adapted from the Mai Tai that’s served at Smuggler’s Cove.

Even if you can’t be in Hawaii right now, let this classic tiki cocktail take to you to the islands — perfect for your next luau party even if it’s a party of one.

The original Mai Tai recipe was created by Victor J. Bergeron (Trader Vic) in the 1940s. The recipe was so popular that it nearly depleted the world’s supply of rum.

The drink was simple and showcased a 17-year old Jamaican Rum. The drink was thusly named when several Tahitians had the drink and exclaimed “Maita’i roa a’e,” which means “Out of this world.” The Tahitian translation for “Maita’i” is “The Best.”

In 1953 the Mai Tai made it to Hawaiian shores when Bergeron was hired to oversee cocktail creation at the Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider Hotels, and in 1954 the Original Mai Tai recipe was adapted to fit tourist palettes.

Bergeron added pineapple juice and orange juice to sweeten the concoction and make it more palatable. This recipe usurped the original cocktail recipe and became one of the iconic drinks served at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki.

Contrary to popular belief, the original mai tai recipe has no pineapple juice in it and no dark rum float. The original recipe is not overly sweet, and the ingredients were selected to feature the flavor of the Jamaican Rum.

Mai Tai Ingredients (The Original)

Rum

The original rum used in the Mai Tai was 17 year J. Wrey & Nephew Jamaica Rum. This rum is no longer widely available, and bartenders have been trying to recreate the flavor since the 1950s when the popularity of the Trader Vic Mai Tai exhausted the availability of this rum.

All rum is made from molasses or essentially sugar, but rum is produced in 80 different countries with vastly different methods of production.

I used an aged Hawaiian rum in this recipe but have also experimented using golden rum, otherwise known as Anejo rum. Anejo rum has more oak, brown sugar, and caramel flavors in it.

The black rum float was added to the tourist version of the Mai Tai for presentation. However, there is a rumor that an old guy used to order his Mai Tai’s this way at Trader Vics sometime in the 1940s.

Orange curaçao

Orange curaçoa is an orange liqueur. If you have trouble finding it (I did), you can use Grand Marnier, which is made in the same style as curaçoa but is slightly more top-shelf.

Orgeat syrup [or・zhaat]

Pronounced with an OR and then with something between a J and a Z – Ot.

Orgeat is a blended almond syrup with a curious flavor that cannot be replicated but is an essential ingredient when making a Mai Tai.

There are no substitutions for Orgeat Syrup. You can make a cocktail without and add in more simple syrup, but you won’t be able to call it a Mai Tai.

Rich demerara simple syrup

The original Mai Tai is made with Rock Candy Syrup, a ‘rich’ simple syrup made with 1 cup of water and 2 cups of sugar.

Smuggler’s cove uses a rich simple syrup made with demerara sugar, adding a caramel note to the cocktail.

Fresh lime juice

Freshly squeezed lime juice is the only juice in a traditional mai tai cocktail. Gently juice the halved limes so that you get no pith. (reserve these for garnishing)

I am working on my post detailing the recipe for the tourist version of the Mai Tai recipe. That will be linked here very soon.

Spent lime shells

Save the lime shell halves from juicing to garnish this cocktail.

Mint Sprigs

Fresh mint sprigs garnish the Mai Tai.

How to Make A Mai Tai

The glass: Serve in a double old-fashioned glass or a rocks glass.

Ready Your Cocktail Shaker (affiliate link)

Tropical cocktails are shaken with crushed ice and then served over more crushed ice.

To do this properly, a double old-fashioned glass should be filled about two-thirds of the way with crushed ice. You will also add the ice from the cocktail shaker instead of straining the cocktail.

Let’s Get Started

1. Fill your glass 2/3 of the way with crushed ice.
2. Fill the cocktail shaker 1/2 of the way with crushed ice.
3. Add all of the mai tai drink ingredients to the shaker, shake vigorously, and dump the shaken cocktail and the ice into the old-fashioned glass.
4. Garnish with a spent lime shell and a sprig of ice.

More Cocktail Recipes

Try a few of our favorite Lua-inspired Tiki Cocktails like the Pineapple Martini and the Blue Hawaii Cocktail.

If you’re in the mood for an icy glass of Limoncello or a fun summer cocktail like the Lemon Drop or a Bulle de Peche.