Mai Tai cocktail
Mai Tai is Tahitian for "good" and this Mai Tai cocktail is refreshing, fruity and delicious – whatever combination you choose to partner the rum and curaçao!
Invented in California in the early 1940s) the Mai Tai cocktail is an alcoholic drink made from rum, curaçao and lime.
This cocktail recipe is a slight modification to the original recipe, with some of the original ingredients (orgeat syrup) replaced with ones which are easier to obtain (amaretto and apricot brandy).
- Total Time:
- Type: Cocktail
- Units: 3
Equipment
- Highball glass
Ingredients
- 25 ml curaçao (white rum)
- 25 ml dark rum
- 12.5 ml orange curacao
- 12.5 ml lime juice
- pineapple juice
- ice cubes
- 12.5 ml amaretto
- 12.5 ml apricot brandy
- 1 orange slice
- 1 cherry
Instructions
- Pour the dark rum, amaretto, apricot brandy, orange curacao and lime juice into a cocktail shaker and shake well.
- Fill the tall glass with ice.
- Pour the Mai Tai from the shaker into the glass, over the ice.
- Next top up with pineapple juice.
- Garnish with a slice of orange and a cherry.
The Mai Tai was also prominently featured in the Elvis Presley film Blue Hawaii.
FAQ
Is the Mai Tai a Hawaiian drink?
No, it originated in California tiki bars but became associated with Hawaiian resorts later.
Can I use only one type of rum in a Mai Tai?
Yes, but the traditional version uses both light and dark or aged rums for depth.
Is the Mai Tai sweet or strong?
Both—it’s fruity and balanced, but packs a punch with nearly 3 units of alcohol.