The Original '44 Mai Tai
Scaled for 12 servings. A true classic from the Daisy family, this is the Mai Tai as Trader Vic himself intended, a vibrant blend of aged rums, fresh lime, and the subtle almond sweetness of orgeat.
Ingredients
- 12 oz Aged Jamaican Rum
- 12 oz Rhum Agricole Vieux
- 9 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 6 oz Orange Curaçao
- 6 oz Orgeat
- 3 oz Demerara Syrup (1:1)
Instructions
- In a large pitcher or mixing vessel, combine the Aged Jamaican Rum, Rhum Agricole Vieux, fresh lime juice, Orange Curaçao, Orgeat, and Demerara Syrup. Stir well to combine the ingredients.
- To serve each drink, pour 4 oz of the Mai Tai mixture into a shaker filled with crushed ice.
- Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds until well-chilled and diluted.
- Pour (unstrained) into a double old-fashioned glass or tiki mug filled with fresh crushed ice.
Glassware: Double Old-Fashioned or Tiki Mug
Garnish: A fresh mint sprig, a spent lime shell, and a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry speared onto a small bamboo pick
History
The Mai Tai, meaning "good" in Tahitian, was famously created by Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron in 1944 at his Oakland restaurant. This recipe closely follows the original Trader Vic's formula, emphasizing a delicate balance of aged rums with fresh lime, orgeat, and curaçao, setting the standard for all tiki drinks to follow.