Mai Tai

info

• TIME 2 minutes
• MAKES 1 servings

ingredients

• 2oz Rum **(preferably an aged, dark rum)**
• 0.5oz Orgeat
• 0.5oz Simple Syrup
• 0.5oz Dry Curacao
• 0.75oz fresh lime juice
• Mint **(for garnish)**

steps

1. Add lime juice, orgeat, dry curacao, simple syrup, and rum to shaker
2. Add crushed ice to the shaker (about 12oz), and shake until cold
3. Pour contents of shaker **(ice and all)** directly into a glass
4. Garnish with an overturned spent lime shell and mint sprig, and serve

notes

• The overturned lime shell and mint sprig garnish is meant to look like a small tropical island and palm tree, and provides some welcome aromatics. Trader Vic, famed inventor of this cocktail, didn't like the typical little umbrella garnish, and never used it.
• Historically there is no rum "float", but lots of people **(including me)** like it as a flavor enhancer. I'll typically use a flavor packed rum like Diplomatico Reserva for it.
• As with all cocktails, using fresh lime juice is essential
• I've tried subbing in Rhum Agricole as the base spirit, but haven't enjoyed the resulting drink as much as with regular dark rum.
• I tend to over-shake **(and thus over-dilute)** cocktails, but with this one, I've found that I wasn't diluting it enough, leading to it tasting too sharp initially, and then getting better as I let it sit and the ice melted. Unlike drinks that you shake/ stir and then strain, I think it is relatively difficult to over-dilute a cocktail like this which ends up getting served on the same ice it was mixed with.
• While I gave exact measurements above, the important thing with all cocktails is the ratio, so in reality I usually juice a lime, and then adjust the rest of the proportions based on how much lime juice I'm working with.
• There are a variety of Curacaos available, but by far the best one I've had so far is the Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, so I usually use that in my Mai Tais. In a pinch, Cointreau works as well.
• My preferred simple syrup for a Mai Tai is to use 2 parts dark brown sugar to 1 part water. This is technically considered "double strength" simple syrup, and it adds a bit more viscosity **(and obviously a little more sweetness)** to the cocktail.

Based On

• [Eater Mai Tai History](https://www.eater.com/21348867/best-mai-tai-recipe-history)