One sip of a refreshing and fruity mai tai, and I’m instantly transported to a sunny, sandy beach. Like any good tiki drink, these babies are strong and sneaky, so you won’t need much to get the party started. Serve these at a tiki-themed backyard bash, a weekend brunch, or when you had an extra long day at work. No matter the occasion, this classic cocktail brings the carefree summer vibes you crave.
As the story goes, the first person to try a mai tai yelled “maita'i roa a'e”, which roughly translates to “excellent!” or “out of this world!” in Tahitian, after their first sip. I can definitely see why!
Like many tiki drinks, mai tais were likely invented in the 1930s or ‘40s by either one of the two founding members of the tiki drink movement—Victor Bergeron (of Trader Vic’s tiki bar fame) or his friendly rival, Donn Beach. We may never know who to give complete credit to, but what we do know is how far mai tais have come since that original recipe.
Mai tais have evolved to include other tropical flavors like pineapple juice, orange juice, or a splash of grenadine, but a true classic mai tai keeps it simple with a shaken blend of light rum, lime juice, dry Curaçao, and orgeat syrup over ice. With that in mind, that’s what you’ll find in the recipe here.
Fresh lime juice: You’ve heard it before, but it bears repeating—for the BEST cocktails, you’ve got to go fresh! For this recipe you’ll probably only need one lime, but better grab a few to be safe.
Rum: Though it’s likely the original recipe only contained one rum (J. Wray & Nephew, if the stories are to be believed), most bartenders today will do a mix to chase that original flavor. You can go with whatever light and dark options you already have, but if you’re buying specifically for this drink, I highly recommend seeking out a Jamaican rum and a French (or Martinique) rum. The former goes through a different fermentation process than other rums, and as a result has a much more fruit-forward flavor, while the latter relies on pure sugarcane, and thus ends up tasting a touch grassier. The combination of the two is the sweet spot for a mai tai.
Orange liquor. Blue Curaçao is definitely the most common version of the Caribbean orange-flavored liqueur, but a bright blue hue is far from what we need for a mai tai. Dry orange Curaçao, on the other hand, is slightly less sweet, with a dry finish that complements the nuttiness of the orgeat syrup. Pierre Fernand is my go-to brand. If you can’t find it in your area, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, and triple sec are all good backups. Just please, please, please skip the blue stuff.
Orgeat syrup. Orgeat is a non-alcoholic almond-flavored syrup that can be used to sweeten and add flavor to cocktails, mocktails, and more. I personally think it’s what really sets this drink apart. Not sure what to do with the rest of the bottle? Add a splash to your coffee or a glass of iced tea, or add some to your favorite pancake or crêpe batter for a little bit of sweet, nutty flavor. It can be tough to find, so if you’re in a pinch, amaretto liqueur will also work.
Garnishes. I personally love to top my mai tais with a little mint and a cute lime wheel with a maraschino skewered through, but feel free to change it up. Try a pineapple wedge or leaf, an umbrella, some flowers, a little sword… this is a tiki drink after all, so have fun with it!
This recipe is very easy to make, especially if you’re already comfortable with your cocktail shaker. Because it does need to be shaken, you should make these one at a time, though if your shaker is big enough you could probably get away with two—simply double your ingredients, then split into two glasses.
To start, fill your cocktail shaker with ice, then add the first four ingredients. Top your shaker with its lid (or another shaker if you’re good), then shake it hard for around 20 seconds. You’ll know it’s good to go when the side of your shaker is frosty, and becomes hard to hold because it feels so cold.
Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.
What’s the difference between a mai tai and a bahama mama? Though these are both tiki drinks, they really couldn’t be more different. A bahama mama contains orange juice, pineapple juice, and coconut rum, while a mai tai is made of two types of rum, orange Curaçao, and orgeat syrup.
The confusion between the two likely comes from a period when bartenders were using juices and pre-made mixers to make a mai tai, rather than sticking to the classic (and classier!) recipe. TMYK!
fresh lime juice
light rum
dry orange Curaçao, Cointreau, or triple sec
dark rum
Fresh mint leaves, lime wheel or wedge, and a Maraschino cherry, for serving
If not, what are you waiting for? You know a drink is worthy of your time if it has a line in a Jay-Z song. When you give it a whirl in your own kitchen, drop a comment to let me know how much you loved it!
Approved by the 
Jump to recipe
