The Unique Mai Tai – A Couple Cooks

Right here’s make the unique Mai Tai recipe! Collect the elements for this tropical rum drink that’s as advanced as it’s fruity.

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

What’s a Mai Tai?

Essentially the most broadly accepted origin story of the Mai Tai is that the cocktail was invented in 1944 at Dealer Vic’s restaurant in Oakland, California. It grew to become very standard 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 traditional model! The Mai Tai cocktail in its authentic type simply is smart. It’s tropical, nutty, boozy and zingy: and it’s nothing just like the grownup fruit juice you could be anticipating. (I ordered a Mai tai at a bar just lately and it tasted like a Hawaiian punch juice field.)

Mai Tai elements

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

The traditional Mai Tai elements additionally typically embody 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 favor including easy syrup for the flavour of that traditional tropical drink, however Alex prefers the boozier model. Attempt it each methods and discover your favourite!

What’s orgeat syrup?

You will have seen cocktails at bars that embody the ingredient orgeat syrup. What’s it, and is it completely crucial 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 exhausting to duplicate.
• How do you pronounce orgeat? Say Or-ZHAAT, the place the “ZH” is just like the J within the identify Jacque.
• What’s an alternative choice to orgeat syrup? There isn’t a 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 search out on-line: right here’s the orgeat syrup we’ve got. Burn up 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 exhausting to search out. Listed below are a couple of 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, subtle 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, however it nonetheless works!

Two kinds of rum make the perfect taste

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

• Aged rum: Such a rum can also be known as golden rum, amber rum, or añejo rum (that means “aged”). Ageing offers 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: Often known as black rum, darkish rum has a darkish coloration and a wealthy taste that’s smoky and candy.

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

What persons 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 simple half: shake up the elements in a cocktail shaker with ice, pressure right into a glass, float the darkish rum on prime and garnish! Listed below are a couple of feedback from readers who’ve made this recipe:

• “I believed your recipe was wonderful. I added extra lime juice than listed accidentally, however is turned out high quality. The flavors are superb 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 previous 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 pinnacle. Completely improbable recipe. The second I tasted this, the reminiscences of after I first had this got here again to me.” -Justin

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