Mai Tai

Recipe by: Nick Mautone | from Raising the Bar: Better Drinks, Better Entertaining

Cookstr

Course: Beverage

Total Time: Under 15 Minutes

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Moderate

This was created by Victor Bergeron at his California restaurant, Trader Vic’s, in the 1940s. Too often, Mai Tais are served in really large glasses and don’t truly do service to the original drink.

Yield: Makes two 4-ounce drinks

INGREDIENTS

Ice for serving
4 ounces dark rum
1½ ounces triple sec
1½ ounces fresh lime juice (from 1 to 1½ limes)
½ ounce orgeat (see Straight Up) or amaretto
2 fresh mint leaves for garnish
2 lime wedges for garnish

Directions

Fill the rocks glasses with ice.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the first 4 ingredients. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is frosted and beaded with sweat.

Strain into the rocks glasses, top each glass with a mint leaf and a lime wedge, and serve.

Notes

When made with premium ingredients and kept to a reasonable size, this drink will live up to its name, which means “out of this world” in Tahitian. If you cannot find orgeat, use amaretto in its place.GLASSWARE: Rocks glasses

STRAIGHT UP: Orgeat syrup is made from almonds and sugar. Very sweet, with a strong almond flavor, orgeat enhances many cocktails, most famously the mai tai. It is sometimes called almond syrup and is available online through sites that carry syrups.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrients per serving

Nutritional information is based on 2 servings.

Calories 238 kcal

Calcium 1 % daily value

Vitamin C 16 % daily value

Vitamin A 0 % daily value

Potassium 49 mg

Magnesium 4 mg

Protein 0 g

Sugar 13 g

Fiber 0 g