Mai Tai

The Mai Tai is the king of tiki drinks, and the real thing is very different from the fruit-punch version found at many resort bars. Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron created it at his Oakland restaurant in 1944. He mixed the first one for friends visiting from Tahiti, and one of them took a sip and declared it “maita’i roa ae,” Tahitian for “out of this world, the best.” Vic had his name.

His recipe was built to show off a very good rum, a 17-year-old Jamaican that eventually became so scarce he had to switch to blends. Aged rum, fresh lime, orange curaçao, orgeat almond syrup and a touch of sugar are shaken and poured over crushed ice, then garnished with a spent lime shell and a sprig of mint meant to look like a little island and a palm tree. There is no pineapple, no orange juice and no grenadine anywhere in it.

The flavor is rich and balanced rather than sweet. The rum leads with funk, oak and molasses, the lime keeps it bright, and the orgeat adds a nutty, floral sweetness that ties everything together. After a dip in popularity, it is back on the rise on menus at the world’s top bars, and it is a reminder that tiki at its best is serious craft.

Glass: Old fashioned glass | Strength: Strong | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 5 minutes

Bartenders tip: The rum makes the drink, so use a good aged Jamaican rum for character, blended with a second aged rum or a Martinique rhum agricole for complexity. Fresh lime is essential. Quality orgeat is worth seeking out, since cheap versions taste artificial. Many bars still pour a version with pineapple juice, sweet and sour mix and crème de almond, which is fun and fruity, but it is a different drink from Trader Vic’s original.