Mai Tai

A Mai Tai combines rum, fresh lime, orange curaçao and almond orgeat in a citrus-led cocktail over ice. In the cited IBA specification, pineapple is a garnish, not juice in the drink; the rum blend and almond syrup are central to its character.

Ingredients

• — 30ml amber Jamaican rum (40% ABV assumed)
• — 30ml Martinique molasses rum (40% ABV assumed)
• — 15ml orange curaçao (40% ABV assumed)
• — 15ml almond orgeat syrup
• — 30ml fresh lime juice
• — 7.5ml simple syrup (1:1)
• — Ice for shaking and serving
• — Washed mint, lime peel and pineapple spear, to garnish

Method

1. Chill a double rocks glass and measure both rums, curaçao, orgeat, lime juice and simple syrup into a shaker.
2. Add ice, seal and shake for 10–15 seconds until thoroughly chilled.
3. Pour the cocktail and its ice into the rocks glass, topping up with fresh ice if needed to fill the glass without adding more alcohol.
4. Garnish with mint, lime peel and a small pineapple spear. Serve promptly and keep the almond ingredient clear to your guest.

Why it works

Orgeat contributes almond and body, lime provides acidity, and curaçao supplies orange character alongside the rum blend. The drink does not need pineapple juice to justify its garnish. A spiced substitution is best kept small and deliberate so the lime and almond still have room.

Which Rum to Use

Use the stated two styles if following the cited specification. Read country, raw material and strength on the labels rather than inferring them from colour or an evocative brand name. A bottle described as golden is not automatically the Martinique component.

We make Dilay, so its optional 30ml substitution is a first-party suggestion. Do not replace every ingredient with spice-led products at once, and do not increase the combined rum volume to create more flavour.

Preparing More Than One

Set out a jigger, fresh lime, syrup and clean garnish ahead. Shake each measured serving with ice just before serving. If premixing the liquids, label the serving count and divide them equally rather than topping glasses up by eye.

Allergen information matters in shared preparation: keep the orgeat bottle identifiable and prevent cross-contact. An almond-free version needs verified replacement ingredients and is a different recipe, not a casual promise that the classic is nut-free.

The classic vs the spiced version

Our liquid measures follow the IBA's two-rum specification. To try a Dilay variation, replace only the 30ml amber Jamaican rum with 30ml Dilay and keep the remaining ingredients measured. That introduces cardamom and ginger into an already almond-and-citrus-led drink; it is not the exact classic rum blend and it is not extra rum added on top.

Tips for getting it right

• — Orgeat is almond syrup and contains nuts; do not assume a different syrup is a safe substitute without checking the label and handling.
• — Orange curaçao is a liqueur, not orange juice. Its alcohol contributes to the units, and its sweetness varies by product.
• — The IBA specifies Martinique molasses rum, not compulsory agricole. If you select agricole, describe that as your chosen adaptation rather than quoting it as the listed ingredient.
• — Keep fresh lime measured. A sweeter orgeat or curaçao may justify less simple syrup in your next serving, not another rum float.
• — For a longer glass, add a little chilled soda after shaking. It changes dilution but does not remove any of the alcohol already poured.

Related serves

For a simpler rum-and-lime serve, make a Daiquiri

For pineapple and coconut, try a Piña Colada

For bottle styles suited to mixing, compare spiced rums for cocktails

Frequently asked questions

Recipe references

• IBA Mai Tai specification and Martinique rum note

Our method and spiced adaptations are described separately from the referenced classic specifications.

Approx. 3.0 UK units per serving from the measured alcoholic ingredients. 30ml Jamaican rum at 40% ABV; 30ml Martinique rum at 40% ABV; 15ml orange curaçao at 40% ABV. Check your bottle labels if substituting.

Please drink responsibly. 18+. Visit drinkaware.co.uk for the facts.