| Drink | Mai Tai, classic rum cocktail from the tiki era |
| Base | Rum, orange liqueur, lime juice, cane sugar syrup and almond syrup |
| In our recipe | 5 cl Matusalem Rum, 1.5 cl Cointreau, 2.5 cl lime juice, 1 cl cane sugar syrup, 1.5 cl almond syrup |
| Served | In a chilled Riedel glass with mint and lemon peel |
| Origin | Trader Vic's, Oakland, California, 1944 (according to Bergeron) |
| The name | From Tahitian, "Mai Tai-Roa Aé" or maitaʻi |
| Other claim | Don the Beachcomber |
Mai Tai history: Trader Vic and Oakland
Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron opened his first restaurant in Oakland in 1934, serving Polynesian food. In 1944, according to Difford's Guide, he made the Mai Tai at the restaurant and first served it to Ham and Carrie Guild, friends from Tahiti. Carrie Guild exclaimed "Mai Tai-Roa Aé", and Bergeron named the drink. That is also the story in the short text at the top.
The original recipe
Bergeron used 17 year old J. Wray & Nephew Jamaican rum, Holland deKuyper orange curaçao, French Garier orgeat, rock candy syrup and fresh lime juice, shaken with shaved ice, writes Difford's Guide. It is a different and simpler drink than the pineapple-filled versions many know today.
| Rum | 17 year old J. Wray & Nephew (original). Our recipe: Matusalem Rum |
| Liqueur | Orange curaçao (original). Our recipe: Cointreau |
| Lime | Fresh lime juice. Same in our recipe |
| Almond | Orgeat (original). Our recipe: Almond Syrup |
| Sweetness | Rock candy syrup (original). Our recipe: Rhum JM cane sugar syrup |
Don the Beachcomber and the others who want the credit
Trader Vic is not alone in claiming to have come up with the Mai Tai. Wikipedia writes that Donn Beach of Don the Beachcomber claimed to have made it in 1933, and that a colleague thought he was really saying the drink was based on his Q.B. Cooler. Difford's Guide also mentions Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gantt, who owned Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood. The sources give no final answer.
From Oakland to Hawaii
The Mai Tai became popular in California and in Seattle, where Trader Vic's opened in 1948. In 1953 Bergeron took it to Hawaii through Matson Steamship Lines, for the bars of the Royal Hawaiian, Moana and Surfrider. In 1959 it was called a "top tourist tantalizer", writes Wikipedia. The Hawaiian versions often got pineapple juice, orange juice and a dark rum float. Trader Vic's kept the recipe secret for almost 30 years, so competitors guessed and many variants appeared. The drink is in the 1961 film Blue Hawaii, and the city council of Oakland has made it the city's official cocktail. Read more at Difford's Guide and Wikipedia.
Mai Tai timeline
| 1933 | Donn Beach claims to have made the Mai Tai (according to Wikipedia) |
| 1934 | Trader Vic opens his first restaurant in Oakland |
| 1944 | Bergeron makes the Mai Tai for guests from Tahiti |
| 1948 | Trader Vic's opens in Seattle |
| 1953 | The Mai Tai comes to Hawaii via Matson |
| 1961 | The Mai Tai in the film Blue Hawaii |
How to make a better Mai Tai
Use freshly squeezed lime from the lime squeezer and shake hard, as the recipe says. The original Mai Tai is a small and tight drink, not a fruit bowl. If you want another rum cocktail, try an Old Cuban. Find all recipes with rum here.
Frequently asked questions about the Mai Tai recipe
What is a Mai Tai?
A classic rum cocktail from the tiki era, made with rum, orange liqueur, lime juice and almond syrup (orgeat).
What goes into a Mai Tai?
Our recipe uses 5 cl Matusalem Rum, 1.5 cl Cointreau, 2.5 cl freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 cl cane sugar syrup and 1.5 cl almond syrup. It is shaken for about 10 seconds.
Who invented the Mai Tai?
Victor J. "Trader Vic" Bergeron says he made it in 1944 at his restaurant in Oakland, California. Don the Beachcomber has also claimed it.
What does Mai Tai mean?
According to Difford's Guide, a guest from Tahiti exclaimed "Mai Tai-Roa Aé", which means something like "out of this world, the best". Wikipedia writes that the word maitaʻi is Tahitian for "good".
What is the original Mai Tai recipe?
According to Difford's Guide, Bergeron used 17 year old J. Wray & Nephew Jamaican rum, orange curaçao, orgeat, rock candy syrup and fresh lime juice, shaken with shaved ice.
Does a Mai Tai have pineapple juice?
Not the original. According to Wikipedia, pineapple juice, orange juice and a dark rum float only came with the Hawaiian versions.
Why is the Mai Tai so famous?
Bergeron launched it in Hawaii in 1953 through Matson Steamship Lines and the Royal Hawaiian, Moana and Surfrider hotels. It became especially popular in the tiki bar era and appears in the 1961 film Blue Hawaii.
Which rum should I use for a Mai Tai?
We use Matusalem Rum. Bergeron used Jamaican rum, and his books also mention rum from Martinique.
How do you garnish a Mai Tai?
With a sprig of mint and lemon peel on the rim of the glass. Serve with a straw or stirrer.
What is orgeat?
An almond syrup. In our recipe we use Almond Syrup.
Want to make a Mai Tai yourself?
You need Matusalem Rum, Cointreau, Rhum JM cane sugar syrup, almond syrup and a Riedel glass. You will find more ideas among the other recipes with rum.
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