tiki · shaken
Mai Tai recipe
Trader Vic's original. Rum, orgeat, lime — no juice.
A Mai Tai is 45 ml (42.3 g) White Rum, 15 ml (14.1 g) Dark Rum, 22 ml (22.7 g) Fresh Lime Juice, 15 ml (17.5 g) Orgeat and 15 ml (14.7 g) Triple Sec, shaken and served in a rocks (old fashioned) glass. It pours to about 112 ml before ice, at roughly 25.4% ABV. Weighing the ingredients instead of measuring them is what keeps the balance identical from one round to the next.
- Glassrocks (old fashioned) glass
- Methodshaken
- Pour volume112 ml
- Strength (est.)25.4% ABV
- Time5 min
Mai Tai ingredients — in millilitres and grams
Grams are what the PourPilot coaster actually targets. They are not the same as the millilitres: a spirit is lighter than water, a syrup is heavier, so 30 ml of one is never 30 g. The right-hand column is the density we use, in grams per millilitre.
| Ingredient | Volume | Weight | g/ml | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Rum | 45 ml | 42.3 g | 0.94 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Dark Rum | 15 ml | 14.1 g | 0.94 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Fresh Lime Juice | 22 ml | 22.7 g | 1.03 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Orgeat | 15 ml | 17.5 g | 1.17 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Triple Sec | 15 ml | 14.7 g | 0.98 | Weighed by the coaster |
How to make a Mai Tai
- Set your rocks (old fashioned) glass on the scale (or on the PourPilot coaster) and zero it. Every measurement below is given in millilitres and in grams, so you can use either.
- Add White Rum, Dark Rum, Fresh Lime Juice, Orgeat and Triple Sec to a shaker, weighing each ingredient rather than eyeballing a jigger.
- Fill with ice and shake hard for 12–15 seconds.
- Double-strain into a chilled rocks (old fashioned) glass over fresh ice.
Mai Tai: the questions people actually ask
How strong is a Mai Tai?
Roughly 25.4% ABV as poured, before the ice dilutes it — typically another 15–25% water by the time you finish stirring or shaking. Spirit-forward. Sip it, do not sink it.
What glass should a Mai Tai be served in?
A rocks (old fashioned) glass. One large, clear cube melts slower than four small ones and keeps the drink from watering out.
Can I make a Mai Tai without a jigger?
Yes — that is what the gram column is for. Put the glass or tin on a kitchen scale, zero it, and pour to the weight. It is more accurate than a jigger because nothing is left clinging to the inside of the measure. The PourPilot coaster does the same thing without you having to watch a display: it lights up as you approach the target and tells you when to stop.
If you like the Mai Tai
IBA Tiki
A modern tiki blend of rums, lime, orgeat and orange.
Zombie
A potent tiki blend of rums, lime, falernum and grenadine.
Daiquiri
White rum, lime, sugar. The benchmark for balance.
Jungle Bird
Dark rum and Campari with pineapple. Surprisingly refreshing.
Between the Sheets
White rum and cognac with triple sec and lemon.
Hemingway Special
A grapefruit-and-maraschino daiquiri. Papa took his without sugar.