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
Believe it or not!
You’d think that after spending something like 12 hours at Trader Vic’s this week that I’d have found time somewhere for a Mai Tai. But since I was drinking rum all day at the SF Rum Festival – and I was driving – it didn’t seem prudent.
I did enjoy this Coral Reef, a non-alcoholic slushy with strawberry and coconut. Yummy.
What a fabulous day in Emeryville for the annual Mai Tai Day celebration at Trader Vic’s. This year was similar in format from what they’ve been doing since 2019, a ticketed event with a tiki vendor marketplace and live music out in the parking lot, seminars and spirits tasting inside plus guest bartenders, DJs, and Trader Vic’s cocktails and food. Trader Vic’s rums were a noteworthy new entry for tasting this year.
Mrs. Mai Tai and I got things started with a wonderful Frozen Mai Tai. Out on the deck there were Mai Tais for sale but also the opportunity to make one yourself with the guidance from the Trader Vic’s bartenders. People trying this seemed to be having a lot of fun, but we just let Mika make the Original Mai Tai and the Guava Tai for Mrs. Mai Tai – both were excellent. I also tried the Spice Trader from guest bartenders The Barbary, a very allspice forward cocktail. Forbidden Island was the other guest bartending station this year and their signature Forbidden Island cocktail sold out quickly.
Seminars are always a highlight for me. I kicked things off inside a packed Lanyu Room with my presentation on the Search for the Ultimate Tai. The audience was very receptive and we thank them for bearing with the heat of the room. Slides are available if you attended or are interested. We also caught a bit of Mike Hooker‘s presentation about Holmes Cay rums including their interesting and well-reviewed new Réunion Island Rum Traditionnel. Mike even treated me to a delicious Mai Tai with this rum.
Eve Bergeron shared details of a forthcoming new Trader Vic’s cocktail book that’s being written now with a target for a release next summer. The book will feature cocktails from throughout Trader Vic’s 80+ year history including current cocktails and specialty items that are unique to each location. She also shared some details including a 1948 Trader Vic’s Oakland menu that included the Mai Tai.
I was asked to provide the Mai Tai Toast outside and hope I did a good enough job given all the Mai Tais I’d had up to that point. It is always a pleasure to share the good word of the world’s best cocktail and Mai Tai Day is always a highlight of the year.
The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai
Join Kevin Crossman for an informative and humorous presentation describing the hunt for the ultimate Mai Tai. Topics include newly uncovered historical details, best and worst Mai Tais, and how to get the perfect Mai Tai at your local watering hole. Advice and lessons for the home bartender will be provided, including finding the perfect rum blend to impress your guests.
We’re pleased to return to Mai Tai Day at Trader Vic’s Emeryville to present a seminar called the Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai.
This will be an informative and humorous presentation describing the hunt for the ultimate Mai Tai. Topics include newly uncovered historical details, best and worst Mai Tais, and how to get the perfect Mai Tai at your local watering hole. Advice and lessons for the home bartender will be provided, including finding the perfect rum blend to impress your guests.
Tickets for Mai Tai Day are still available and the event includes other seminars, vendors, live music and DJs, and an art show. Plus plenty of Mai Tais, making this the best day of the year.
As previously posted, I set out to recreate the Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Rum that was issued in the 60s-80s. Comprised of mostly Jamaican rum, plus Martinique and Virgin Islands rum, this rum was used the Mai Tai, Suffering Bastard, and other Trader Vic’s recipes of the era.
As we’re want to do, we did a little comparison test with this rum and our our Ultimate Mai Tai rum blend, a bold and boozy four rum combo of Appleton 12, Smith & Cross, Planteray Xaymaca, and Planteray OFTD. The two Mai Tais were made with common ingredients including shared pool of juice.
These are actually pretty close, but both Mrs. Mai Tai and I preferred the Ultimate Mai Tai blend.
Heading to Tiki Oasis in San Diego by way of the San Jose Mineta Airport, so I made sure to arrive early for some drinks and food at Trader Vic’s SJC to get into the mood. It was still before 10:00 am so while I could get a Mai Tai I couldn’t order off the lunch menu yet. No trouble, the Tahitian Toast with Salmon was quite filling, but I asked for the jalapeño spread to be omitted as spicy is not my thing. The waiter asked if I would like some avocado with it and after saying yes it arrived with avocado. “Some” avocado indeed. It was delicious and totally filling too.
My Mai Tai was just great and the Guava Tai I ordered was just as good. I enjoy the little bit of tropical juices that Trader Vic’s adds for these Tropical Tais. As seasoned mixologists know, a little bit of mango or pineapple or guava go a long way and Trader Vic’s doesn’t drown it with these juices like some places do. It’s the perfect amount.
The prices at Trader Vic’s SJC are not too bad these days, either. All drinks are $18.39 including tax, which isn’t cheap but no longer expensive when you account for the tax being included. We’ve seen Mai Tais and other cocktails well over $20 that aren’t nearly as good, which is amazing for a bar at the airport. Trader Vic’s SJC is a treasure.
I found this one in Trader Vic’s Helluva Mans Cookbook and in Trader Vic’s Rum Cookery & Drinkery (both 1970s). It is a classic cocktail riff that uses rum rather than whiskey.
The specified rum is Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Rum, which we wrote about yesterday, a blend of rums from Jamaica, Martinique, and Virgin Islands. I remade this rum at home using currently available rums and used it in this cocktail.
From Trader Vic’s Helluva Mans Cookbook:
“If you like a good pungent rum that’s got a good flavor, you’ll find this a very nice drink. We blend this Mai Tai rum from five or six different rums from different islands.
Mai Tai Rum Old-Fashioned
1½ ounces Trader Vic Mai Tai rum
½ ounce water
2 dashes maraschino cherry juice
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Pour first 4 ingredients into a 10-ounce old-fashioned glass filled with ice cubes. Stir well. Add a twist of lemon peel. Decorate with a fruit stick and fresh mint.”
Tasting Notes:
Sadly, this wasn’t one of Vic’s greatest hits. It tastes like watered down rum with little hints of sweetness and anise because, well, that’s what it is.