If you’ve been to Maui, you probably remember the Mai Tai, the staple of beachside tiki bars and sunset catamaran cruises. But chances are, the one you remember was a shadow of the original — a sticky-sweet, cherry-garnished, too-fruity Frankenstein monster resembling spiked Hawaiian Punch. 

It’s doubtful Trader Vic’s original Mai Tai ever came in contact with a maraschino cherry. Or suffered an embarrassing brush with grenadine. You’ll find no blush of artificial red marring a true Mai Tai’s murky, amber depths. Much less juice from concentrate in a can.

It may surprise some that an authentic Mai Tai contains just one kind of fruit juice: fresh squeezed lime. It has no pineapple, orange, or guava juice. You’d be forgiven for thinking it does. Many well-meaning bars serve “reinventions” in an effort to own a unique version. But there’s also a good chance you were misled by those trying to smuggle cheap rum past your palate under cover of sugar, all while distracting you with tiki torchlight and a soundtrack of ocean waves no higher than a house cat.

Okay, then. Let’s get real. Sure, the Mai Tai may not be a connoisseur’s cocktail, but it was never meant to be. It may have been created to showcase the subtle qualities of finer rums, but it soon became a way to get work-weary, fresh-off-the-plane tourists to lighten up and join the party.

And what’s wrong with that? People are stressed and a Mai Tai is fun. What better time to dust off this once-proud herald of island summers and aloha? So, go ahead. Knock back a couple of these babies, let go, and get ready to limbo.

Mai Tai Recipe (Classic)

INGEDIENTS

Here’s what you’ll need to get your Mai Tai on:

  • 1 oz. light or amber rum
  • 1 oz. dark or black rum (not spiced)
  • 1 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice
  • ½ oz. orange Curaçao or triple sec
  • ½ oz. orgeat syrup
  • ¼ oz. simple syrup
  • fresh mint for garnish
  • 2 cups of cracked ice
  • a cocktail shaker
  • a double highball or Old Fashioned glass

DIRECTIONS

Add all the liquid ingredients to your cocktail shaker. Proportion matters, so use a bar measure if possible instead of eyeballing it. Add the ice to the shaker, cap it, and shake for a good 10 to 15 seconds. Pour into your glass (no need to strain). Top with more cracked ice if you come up short and garnish with mint.

Pro Tip: Bruise the mint first for fragrance by rolling it between your palms. It won’t look as pretty, but it improves the experience.