The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai
Traveling the Bay Area and beyond to find the best Mai Tai in the world! Tiki, cocktails, and adventures by Kevin Crossman
Played around with some Pomelo juice and using the Hemingway Daiquiri template I tweaked a few things. Quite refreshing, give it a try.
Mello Pomelo
1 oz Pomelo Juice
¼ oz Grenadine
½ tsp Don’s Spices #2 (Pimento Dram + Vanilla Syrup)
½ oz Cointreau
¼ oz Maraschino Liqueur
2 oz Aged White Rum (Denizen 3)
I took another run at the Don the Beachcomber Mai Tai Swizzle. Last time I said that I thought there was too much citrus, but I might think differently if the lighter Cuban style rum was replaced by a heavier Demerara rum.
So that’s basically what I did. I replaced the blend of Dark Jamaican and Gold Cuban rums with my Ultimate Mai Tai rum blend which includes Jamaican and Demerara rums. This time the heavier rum balanced out the citrus, though I still think going a little heavier on the Falernum would be a plus.
Mai Tai Swizzle (Don the Beachcomber)
¾ oz Lime Juice
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
½ oz Cointreau
¼ oz Falernum
2½ oz Ultimate Mai Tai Rum Blend
6 Drops Pernod
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
Shake with crushed ice
Ultimate Mai Tai Rum Blend is equal parts Appleton 12, Smith & Cross, Plantation Xaymaca, and Plantation OFTD.
Revisitation week continues with a cocktail I pretty much hated the first time I tried it. Knowing that I thought that the Maraschino Liqueur was too heavy and the drink too tart I made some tweaks.
Hemingway Daiquiri
¾ oz Lime Juice
½ oz Grapefruit Juice
“Light” ½ oz Maraschino Liqueur
¼ oz Simple Syrup
2 oz Light Rum (Denizen White)
I really enjoyed this. I’m more used to the taste of the Maraschino these days but I do think it being dialed back is better for me.
I didn’t like this Don the Beachcomber cocktail when I made it a couple years ago, but my palette has come around on some flavors over time so I thought I’d give this one another shot.
The Mai Tai Swizzle dates from the 1950s, according the Jeff “Beachbum” Berry. The recipe comes from Hawaii: Tropical Rum Drinks & Cuisine which is a Don the Beachcomber recipe book published by Donn Beach’s widow (who made a dubious claim this recipe pre-dated the Trader Vic’s 1944 Mai Tai). Including Grapefruit juice, Bitters, Falernum, and Pernod, the drink does contain some of the ingredients often seen in Don the Beachcomber cocktails.
Mai Tai Swizzle (Don the Beachcomber)
¾ oz Lime Juice
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
½ oz Cointreau
¼ oz Falernum
1½ oz Dark Jamaican Rum (Coruba)
1 oz Gold Cuban Rum (sub Bacardi 8)
6 Drops Pernod
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
Shake with crushed ice.
My notes a couple year ago was that this had too much citrus, and that feeling holds true today. I might have different opinions if the Cuban rum was replaced with a Demerara, so maybe I’ll try that next time. (See the results: Mai Tai Swizzle Re-Revisted)
So, I made some tweaks and added Demerara Syrup and added more Falernum. It is much better tasting and more balanced. Mrs. Mai Tai enjoyed it while finishing her cocktail puzzle.
Ultimate Mai Tai Swizzle
¾ oz Lime Juice
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
½ oz Demerara Syrup
½ oz Cointreau
½ oz Falernum
1½ oz Dark Jamaican Rum (Coruba)
1 oz Gold Cuban Rum (sub Bacardi 8)
6 Drops Pernod
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
I’m a big fan of BG Reynolds products and have used and liked many of the cocktail syrups. So, I thoughts I’d give their Mai Tai Cocktail Mixer a try.
This is a “just add rum” mixer, unlike other Mai Tai mixes that require you bring both rum and lime to the party. The label calls for 3 oz of Mai Tai Mix and 1½ oz of Aged Rum. Ingredients are Water, Sugar, Orange Juice, Lime Juice, Almonds, Almond Extract, and preservatives. The rum used is Denizen Merchant’s Reserve, a good aged rum made for Mai Tais.
The cocktail is light and refreshing, but there’s not a lot of almond to taste and it’s too heavy on the OJ for my preference. Might be a good base for a punchbowl at a party, if you’re willing to add a little extra orgeat and maybe add some smoky Demerara rum to the blend.
Decided to throw this together and it turned out great.
1 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Latitude 29 Wiki Wiki Mai Tai Mix
1 oz Club Soda
Shake with ice cubes. Pour into tall glass and top with more club soda.
Glassware by The Kon-Tiki.
Always measure your citrus in cocktails.
This lime gave over two and half ounces of juice! Enough for one big Mai Tai and one regular one.
“Juice of one lime” from the original Mai Tai recipe is an in exact measure. Use 1 oz or maybe ¾ oz in your Mai Tai, whichever is your preference, but in either case to provide consistency be sure to measure exactly. Always.
We do have documentation on what Trader Vic considered the correct amount of lime juice in a Mai Tai, though. In his 1974 book Rum Cookery & Drinkery it is noted on page 96 that “Juice of one average Lime = 1 ounce.” So, if you’re following Vic’s standard recipe 1 ounce of lime juice is the correct measurement.