Mai Tai recipe
Golden rum, orange curaçao, lime juice, orgeat syrup, lime wedge and more, shaken and served in an Old Fashioned glass.
By Kris Barton · Updated - 2 mins total
- 6 ingredients
- Old Fashioned glass
What Ingredients do you need to make a Mai Tai?
Golden Rum
Golden Rum (aka Amber Rum) is a medium-bodied, aged rum that gets its dark colour from aging in wooden barrels.
Golden Rums tend to have more flavour and are stronger tasting than their lighter counterparts.
For Golden Rum, we recommend:
Cocktails with Golden Rum
Orange Curaçao
Orange Curacao is basically the “original” version of Blue Curacao. Meaning it’s made from the exact same ingredients and methods, except that it’s left orange, rather than dyed blue!
Orange Curacao is a liqueur flavoured with orange and the dried peel of the bitter orange laraha, a citrus fruit that’s grown on the Dutch island of Curaçao.
For Orange Curacao, we recommend:
Orgeat Syrup
Orgeat Syrup is a sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar, and rose or orange flower water.
It has a pronounced almond taste and is used to flavour many cocktails – especially Tiki cocktails.
For Orgeat Syrup, we recommend:
Maraschino Cherries
Maraschino Cherries are preserved, sweetened cherries that are regularly used as a garnish in a variety of different cocktails.
In short, they can make a cocktail pop.
For Maraschino Cherries, we recommend:
What Equipment do you need to make a Mai Tai?
Cocktail Shaker
Cocktail shakers improve the taste of cocktails. It’s a fact.
There’s a reason that famed British spy James Bond says “shaken, not stirred”. And that reason is: because it tastes better.
If you don’t already have a cocktail shaker set, you might want to check out our detailed cocktail shaker comparison.
But to cut a long story short, here’s the cocktail shaker we recommend:
Old Fashioned Glass
Old Fashioned Glasses give a cocktail a classic, retro, yet elegant look.
If you’re making an old school cocktail, then this is the glass you absolutely need.
For Old Fashioned Glasses, we recommend:
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Recipe card
Mai Tai
- Prep
- 1 min
- Making
- 1 min
- Total
- 2 mins
- Serves
- 1
- Glass
- Old Fashioned glass
Ingredients
Makes 1 drink.
Method
- Add ice, golden rum, orange curaçao, lime juice, and orgeat syrup to your cocktail shaker.
- Shake well.
- Add crushed ice to an Old Fashioned glass.
- Pour in the mix and garnish with a wedge of lime and a maraschino cherry.
Want more like this? Browse our full collection of classic cocktails.
Mai Tai FAQs
What Ingredients do you need to make a Mai Tai?
To make a Mai Tai, you need 60ml / 2oz golden rum, 15ml / 0.5oz orange curaçao, 30ml / 1oz lime juice and 10ml / 0.3oz orgeat syrup, plus lime wedge and maraschino cherry to garnish. There’s more about golden rum, orange curaçao, orgeat syrup and maraschino cherries above.
What Equipment do you need to make a Mai Tai?
You’ll need a cocktail shaker and an Old Fashioned glass.
What alcohol is in a Mai Tai?
A Mai Tai contains 60ml / 2oz golden rum and 15ml / 0.5oz orange curaçao.
Is a Mai Tai shaken or stirred?
A Mai Tai is shaken. Shake it with ice in a cocktail shaker, then pour it into an Old Fashioned glass.
Can I make a Mai Tai without a cocktail shaker?
A cocktail shaker is best, but a clean jam jar with a tight lid works too. Add ice and the ingredients, screw the lid on and shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds, then pour it into your glass.
What glass is a Mai Tai served in?
Serve a Mai Tai in an Old Fashioned glass.
How do you garnish a Mai Tai?
Garnish a Mai Tai with a wedge of lime and a maraschino cherry.
How do I make a Mai Tai for a group?
The recipe makes one drink. Multiply every measure by the number of drinks you want: for 4, you’d need 240ml golden rum, 60ml orange curaçao, 120ml lime juice and 40ml orgeat syrup. Shake one or two drinks at a time, so there’s room in the shaker for the ice.
