Found this in a gossip column from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, dated February 4, 1953. The article references the Royal Hawaiian Hotel’s “newly revised drink list” which we all know was the place where the Mai Tai was introduced to Hawaii.
And quite notably, Trader Vic’s indicates that his favorite drink is the Mai Tai, “a heady concoction with a rum base.”
It is easy to see some of the statements about the Mai Tai from Trader Vic the man and Trader Vic’s the corporation through the lens of being behind a drink that became world famous. But here, at the birth of the Mai Tai’s rise to fame is Vic himself extolling the virtues of the cocktail. It also gives some perspective to Vic’s role in the “Mai Tai Origin Wars” and how much effort he went through to be known as the father of the cocktail. The Mai Tai appears to be his favorite child.
The article’s capper paints clearer picture of the man with the closing remark that “Vic says his job gives him heartburn about once a week.”
This was one of my favorites on our previous trips to O’ahu, and sometimes I like to make it at home.
The recipe is notable in the use of different proportions of the 1944 Mai Tai recipe template, but also the use of a dark rum float most commonly seen in Island-style Mai Tais.
House without a Key Mai Tai, Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki 1¼ oz Lime Juice ⅓ oz Orgeat ⅓ oz Rock Candy Syrup ⅓ oz Orange Curacao (Cointreau) ¾ oz Bacardi Select/Black Rum ¾ oz Bacardi Gold Rum Float ½ oz Lemon Hart 151 Rum
Comparing the two photos, it definitely looked better on the beach in Waikiki than it did in my kitchen. But it tasted just fine at home.
Stephen Hill and Jason Antoon appeared on Entertainment Tonight to promote their CBS shows set in Hawai’i and to make some Mai Tais at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. As these segments go, this one ain’t bad. They credit “Mr. Bergeron” with the origin of the Mai Tai and the ingredients in this version are actually a little better than recipe the Royal Hawaiian has on their website.
We always talk about the need to measure ingredients for cocktails, but I’m more than willing to give a pass to the “free pour” for the Jamaican rum float here. If people go a little heavy that would only improve the cocktail. They didn’t name check local favorite KoHana rum but as a light rum that one is quite flavorful, so a great option for an Island Mai Tai. The Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian is a great place to relax in Waikiki.
I have been enjoying Magnum P.I. since its debut in 2018, and they even incorporated Hawaii’s oldest tiki bar La Mariana into the program a couple years ago (they filmed at La Mariana to introduce the venue, but since then all scenes are filmed on a set). NCIS: Hawai’i debuted earlier this year.
Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai (ET version) 1 oz Orange Juice 2 oz Pineapple Juice ½ oz Orgeat ½ oz Orange Curacao 1 oz Light Rum (KoHana) Shake with ice and “free pour” float of Jamaican rum (Appleton Reserve)
Some of the California Rum Fest vendors offer their rums in a cocktail format, and the best one yesterday was Mai Tai at the Plantation booth. Made with Xaymaca rum from Jamaica, this little Mai Tai tasted great.
Kuleana rum had a nice rum punch that I enjoyed along with some samples of their rum from the Big Island of Hawaii.
The iconic Mai Tai at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki was introduced by Trader Vic Bergeron in 1953. During the 1950s the reputation for this cocktail built such a following that it was described as the “top tourist tantalizer” in 1959. But the Mai Tai you get today at the Royal Hawaiian differs considerably, since it uses the Pineapple Juice and Orange Juice commonly seen in Island-style Mai Tais.
Mai Tais being served at the Royal Hawaiian, June 2022
1956 Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai
The earliest known recipe for the Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai comes via a letter written to a customer by Trader Vic himself. This is still substantially similar to the original 1944 recipe, though with different proportion of sweeteners and notably using both a Dark Jamaican rum and also a light rum. It is light and refreshing and a good dark Jamaican rum does punch through in this recipe. Try Worthy Park 109.
1956 Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai Juice of One Lime Dash of Rock Candy Syrup Dash of Curacao Dash of Orgeat 1½ ounces Trader Vic’s Puerto Rican Rum ¾ ounce Myers’s Plantation Punch Rum Stir and decorate with fresh mint
1972 Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai – Classic Recipe
The use of Pineapple Juice became common in Mai Tais in Hawaii starting in the 1960s, but The Royal Hawaiian seems to be a late convert. There’s a published recipe from their sister hotel The Moana Surfrider in 1968 that’s substantially similar to the 1956 version. However, there must have been pressure to include Pineapple Juice from many tourists.
This recipe comes from Drinks of Hawaii, 2nd Ed. 1972, by Paul B. Dick. The entry describes this is “now being used by the Sheraton” implying a recent change. The recipe included in the book did not specify an exact amount of Pineapple or Orange Juice except to say that they should be used in equal parts. The recipe is notable in that it describes using 3 ounces of rum, including two flavorful dark rums. But a rum float is not specified.
This recipe was later used in many books by Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, who designated 1 oz each for the Pineapple and Orange Juice. This seems like the correct choice, keeping the balance with the other ingredients.
1972 Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai ½ oz Lime Juice ¼ oz Lemon Juice 1 oz Orange Juice 1 oz unsweetened Pineapple Juice ¼ oz Sugar Syrup ¼ oz Orgeat ¼ oz Orange Curacao 1 oz Demerara Rum 1 oz Dark Jamaican Rum 1 oz Light Rum
1990s – No Pineapple Juice
This recipe comes from a 1997 Honolulu Star-Bulletin article, and curiously doesn’t include any Pineapple Juice.
1990s Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai 5 oz Mai Tai Mix 1 oz White Rum 1 oz Myers’s Dark Rum Fill glass with ice, add mix and rums
Mai Tai Mix 10 oz Orange Juice 4 oz Orange Curacao 2 oz Orgeat 2 oz Rock Candy Syrup 2 oz Sour Lemon Combine all ingredients and add water to make 1 quart
Mai Tai Mix (single use) 1½ oz Orange Juice ⅔ oz Orange Curacao ⅓ oz Orgeat ⅓ oz Rock Candy Syrup ⅓ oz Sour Lemon Juice 1¾ oz Water
2010s Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai: Headscratcher
This devolved “secret recipe” was published on the Royal Hawaiian’s website, and includes some curious ingredients. The use of almond-flavored Amaretto liqueur in place of Orgeat syrup is sadly not uncommon in Mai Tais. Amaretto is fine elsewhere but doesn’t add the right flavors or body to the cocktail like Orgeat does. The use of Cherry Vanilla Puree, even in a small amount, is also a noteworthy head-scratcher.
2010s Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai Build in shaker with ice: 1 oz Bacardi Rum 1 tsp Cherry Vanilla Puree ½ oz Amaretto di Saronno ½ oz Cointreau 1 oz Fresh Govinda Orange Juice 2 oz Fresh Govinda Pineapple Juice ½ oz Whaler’s Dark Rum Float
Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai, 2019
2022 Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai Returns to Normalcy
In mid-2022, the Royal Hawaiian updated their website to include this updated “secret recipe” and thankfully it’s much more of a standard Island Mai Tai. It is nice to see Orgeat coming back, though I don’t find Old Lahaina rum to be particularly good. Nonetheless, I did very much enjoy the cocktail in June 2022 when I sat looking out at Diamond Head.
2022 Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai 2 oz Pineapple Juice 1 oz Orange Juice ½ oz Orgeat ½ oz Orange Curacao 1 oz Old Lahaina Light Rum 1 oz Old Lahaina Dark Rum (float) Shake all ingredients except the Dark Rum with ice. Pour in a large “bucket” glass. Float the Dark Rum, garnish with a parasol with cherry, pineapple and lime wedge.
The Mai Tai served at House without a Key, Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki ⅓ oz Orgeat ⅓ oz Orange Curacao (Cointreau) ⅓ oz Rock Candy Syrup 1 ¼ oz Lime Juice ¾ oz Bacardi Select/Black Rum ¾ oz Bacardi Gold Rum Float ½ oz Lemon Hart 151 Rum
This looks like a typical Island Mai Tai but is closer to an original 1944 Mai Tai, and was easily our favorite in Waikiki. (Halekulani website)
