The Unique Mai Tai – A Couple Cooks

Right here’s easy methods to make the unique Mai Tai recipe! Collect the components for this tropical rum drink that’s as complicated as it’s fruity.

The Mai Tai would possibly sound like a easy fruity resort drink, nevertheless it’s something however! No, this drink is a basic cocktail from the 1940’s that’s been (cough) ruined by saccharine candy variations. The right way to make a actual Mai Tai? The rum cocktail is breathtakingly complicated, that includes aged rum, orange liqueur, and almond syrup for nutty and vanilla notes towards sharp citrus. Float a bit darkish rum on high, and also you get to the core of a Mai Tai: it’s refined, nuanced, and would possibly we are saying…terribly particular.

What’s a Mai Tai?

Probably the most extensively accepted origin story of the Mai Tai is that the cocktail was invented in 1944 at Dealer Vic’s restaurant in Oakland, California. It turned very widespread within the 1950’s and 60’s, particularly at tiki eating places. (And since Tiki tradition is constructed on appropriation, we received’t exalt the virtues of that phenomenon.)

Full disclosure: we weren’t followers of this drink till we tasted the basic model! The Mai Tai cocktail in its unique kind simply is sensible. It’s tropical, nutty, boozy and zingy: and it’s nothing just like the grownup fruit juice you is perhaps anticipating. (I ordered a Mai tai at a bar lately and it tasted like a Hawaiian punch juice field.)

Mai Tai components

What’s within the unique Mai Tai? Regardless of what you would possibly suppose, there’s no pineapple juice! There’s really no fruit juice, aside from lime juice. The basic Mai Tai cocktail is on the record of Worldwide Bartender Affiliation’s IBA official cocktails, that means that it has an “official” definition. The components in a Mai Tai drink are:

The basic Mai Tai components additionally typically embrace easy syrup. Utilizing a touch of easy syrup accentuates the flavour for a fruity, candy tart Mai Tai. Omit the easy syrup and it makes a extra boozy, spirit-forward drink. I want including easy syrup for the flavour of that basic tropical drink, however Alex prefers the boozier model. Attempt it each methods and discover your favourite!

What’s orgeat syrup?

You’ll have observed cocktails at bars that embrace the ingredient orgeat syrup. What’s it, and is it completely vital for a Mai Tai?

• Orgeat syrup is a non-alcoholic almond syrup used for sweetening cocktails. It has a particular nutty taste with a touch of citrus that’s onerous to copy.
• How do you pronounce orgeat? Say Or-ZHAAT, the place the “ZH” is just like the J within the title Jacque.
• What’s an alternative choice to orgeat syrup? There isn’t any substitute for the distinctive nutty citrus taste. A Mai Tai with out orgeat syrup simply doesn’t work. It’s a tasty drink: simply not an actual Mai Tai.
• How a lot does orgeat syrup value? You may seize a bottle for about $10. It’s simple to seek out on-line: right here’s the orgeat syrup now we have. Dissipate leftovers with a Japanese Cocktail, Trinidad Bitter, or Mojito Mocktail.

Orange liqueur: Grand Marnier vs Curaçao

A Mai Tai recipe historically makes use of orange curaçao, however it may be onerous to seek out. Listed below are just a few notes on what else to make use of as an alternative choice to the orange liqueur:

• Grand Marnier is your greatest wager. Grand Marnier is the best finish orange liqueur, and brings nuanced, refined taste. We had a bottle (since we like Grand Marnier cocktails), so we used it right here.
• Cointreau additionally works. Received a bottle for making margaritas or different Cointreau drinks? You should use it right here too. The flavour is rather less nuanced, nevertheless it nonetheless works!

Two forms of rum make the most effective taste

Many Mai Tai recipes use two forms of rum combined into the drink. Our model takes it a step additional and floats the darkish rum on high! It makes for a showy presentation and it’s grow to be a practice that some individuals like of their model of this drink. Right here’s a bit extra concerning the two forms of rum you’ll want:

• Aged rum: Such a rum can be known as golden rum, amber rum, or añejo rum (that means “aged”). Getting older provides it a fancy taste, extra like a Cognac. It has undertones of vanilla, coconut, almond, citrus, or caramel. The aged rum that we used right here was Brugal Añejo Rum.
• Darkish rum: Also called black rum, darkish rum has a darkish colour and a wealthy taste that’s smoky and candy.

What different cocktails use a lot of these rums? Use aged rum in an El Presidente or Pineapple Rum Cocktail, and darkish rum in Rum Punch, Darkish and Stormy, or a Jungle Fowl.

What individuals are saying about this Mai Tai recipe

When you’ve obtained your orgeat syrup, stocked up on golden and darkish rum, and figured our your orange liqueur, it’s time to make your Mai Tai cocktail! That is the straightforward half: shake up the components in a cocktail shaker with ice, pressure right into a glass, float the darkish rum on high and garnish! Listed below are just a few feedback from readers who’ve made this recipe:

• “I believed your recipe was glorious. I added extra lime juice than listed accidentally, however is turned out advantageous. The flavors are wonderful and I felt like I used to be again on Maui having fun with joyful hour. It certain packs a punch! I’ll positively make this once more.” -Rosemary
• “Used 15 12 months outdated Rhum Barbancourt from Haiti topped with Bacardi Black with Grand Marnier. It got here out very good!” -Jim
• “Wow, wow, wow! You guys hit this one on the top. Completely unbelievable recipe. The second I tasted this, the recollections of after I first had this got here again to me.” -Justin

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