Mai Tai

Rum is the foundation of the Mai Tai. Using two styles gives the cocktail greater depth than relying on a single bottle.

For the white rum, Havana Club Añejo 3 Años is an excellent choice, bringing a clean but characterful rum profile that works particularly well with lime.

For the darker component,
Planteray Rum Original Dark Barbados & Jamaica provides richer molasses, spice and caramel notes, giving the finished drink greater depth.

For the orange liqueur, we recommend Cointreau. Its bright orange character and relatively dry finish complement the rum and lime without making the Mai Tai unnecessarily sweet.

MONIN Almond Orgeat provides the almond component. Almond syrup, traditionally known as orgeat in cocktail recipes, gives the Mai Tai its characteristic nutty sweetness and rounded texture.

A Mai Tai needs enough sweetness to balance its generous measure of rum and lime, but it should never taste syrupy.

Our ratio uses 60 ml total rum, 30 ml lime juice, 15 ml orange liqueur, 15 ml almond syrup and 5 ml sugar syrup.

The two rums remain the dominant flavours, while lime provides acidity and the orange and almond components add complexity.

If your almond syrup is particularly sweet, the additional 5 ml sugar syrup can be reduced or omitted according to taste.

The Mai Tai emerged from the American tiki-bar culture of the 1940s and is most strongly associated with Trader Vic's, where Victor Bergeron said he created the cocktail in Oakland, California, in 1944.

According to the well-known story, Bergeron served his new rum cocktail to visiting friends from Tahiti. Their enthusiastic reaction included the Tahitian expression that eventually gave the drink its name.

The original concept was designed to showcase good rum rather than disguise it beneath tropical fruit juices. Over time, many very different drinks adopted the Mai Tai name, often adding pineapple, orange and other fruit juices.

The classic style remains much simpler: rum, lime, orange liqueur, orgeat and a small amount of additional sweetness.

Add all the liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake firmly until thoroughly chilled.

Strain the cocktail into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. The crushed ice continues to provide gradual dilution as the drink is enjoyed, which is particularly important in a strong rum-based cocktail.

Finish with a generous mint sprig and lime wedge. Give the mint a light clap between your hands before garnishing to release its aroma without damaging the leaves.