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A Modern Take on the Classic Mai Tai

Nothing says summer fun like an icy Mai Tai. Our June newsletter featured the original 1940s recipe for the classic Mai Tai created at Trader Vic’s. Here’s our modern take on the classic Mai Tai—we’ve switched out rock candy syrup for a dark rum float. You'll love the contrast of layered flavors and the bright citrus of this updated tiki cocktail.


two ceramic cups filled with mai tai tiki cocktails surrounded by palm trees and blue sky
fdp ceramic pottery sippers

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz white rum

3/4 oz orange curaçao

Juice of half a lemon and half of a lime.

1/2 oz El Guapo Creole Orgeat

1/2 oz dark rum

4 oz coarsely crushed ice

Garnish: Mint sprigs, fresh lemon and lime


Instructions:

Add white rum, curaçao, citrus juice, and orgeat to a shaker with crushed ice.

Shake lightly for about 3 seconds.

Pour contents into a rocks glass or fdp sipper (no need to strain).

Float dark rum gently on top by slowly pouring it over the back of a bar spoon.

Garnish with a lemon, lime, and fresh mint sprig.

bottle of El Guapo orgeat syrup next to a cocktail with lemon
El Guapo Creole Orgeat Syrup

What's the best rum to use in a Mai Tai?


Here are our suggestions for special-occasion rums as well as budget-friendly options for a patio-packed crowd. Whichever rum you choose, we suggest El Guapo Creole Orgeat for a rich, balanced cocktail.


White Rum Options:

  • Premium: Denizen 3-Year Aged White Rum

  • Accessible: Plantation 3 Stars

Dark Rum Float Options:

  • Premium: Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum

  • Accessible: Myers’s Original Dark

Try both Victor Bergeron’s classic Mai Tai and our modern take. Let us know which you love best!

Which Mai Tai?

  • The Modern Mai Tai

  • Write an answer


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