Mai Tai
ShakenDouble rocks
5.0 · 1 rating
Ingredients
- 2 ozJamaican rumsee notes (see notes)
- ½ ozorange curaçaoPierre Ferrand preferred (Pierre Ferrand preferred)
- ¾ ozlime juicefreshly squeezed; save shell for garnish (freshly squeezed; save shell for garnish)
- ¼ ozorgeat
- ¼ ozdemerara syrup2:1 sugar:water (2:1 sugar:water)
Garnish: spent lime shell, mint sprig
Preparation
- 1.
Combine all ingredients with a handful of crushed ice and some cubes in a shaker.
- 2.
Shake briefly until chilled and dirty dump (pour all contents of the shaker without straining) into an old fashioned glass.
- 3.
Add fresh crushed ice, then garnish with the spent lime shell and a mint sprig (meant to represent an island and palm tree).
Notes
Why is the rum gone?
When Trader Vic created the Mai Tai in the 1940s, he used J. Wray & Nephew 17-year, a rum that was discontinued shortly after. Bartenders have long since sought to approximate the flavor of the original, often by blending different aged rums. This recipe, perhaps the most faithful adaptation of the original, calls for either 100% pot-still or blended pot and column molasses-based rums such as Appleton Estate Reserve Blend or Denizen Merchant’s Reserve.
Press the easy button
If you don't have fancy rum laying about, try a blend of 1½ oz white rum and ½ oz dark rum instead of the aged Jamaican stuff. Regular simple syrup is also a fine substitute for the rich demerara syrup. Just don't skimp on the lime juice and ensure it's freshly squeezed.
"Old Way"
Historically, there is no "dark rum" float. It’s not in the original recipe. At the San Francisco Trader Vic’s in the 1970s, there was an old regular who liked his with a float of a 151 Demerara rum. The staff called it "Old Way," not because it was an old recipe, but because the patron was old!
