Aged Jamaican rum, lime, orgeat, and orange curaçao — Trader Vic's 1944 original, pure and rum-focused.
Trader Vic (Victor Bergeron) created the Mai Tai in 1944 at his restaurant in Oakland, California. He served it to two friends from Tahiti who, after tasting it, said 'Mai Tai — roa ae!' meaning 'out of this world — the best!' in Tahitian. The name stuck. Donn Beach (Don the Beachcomber) disputed the origin and created his own version; both drinks are good, but Trader Vic's version became canonical.
The critical ingredients are orgeat and aged Jamaican rum. Orgeat is an almond syrup with orange blossom water — it's sweet, aromatic, and unlike anything else. Using simple syrup instead makes a daiquiri with orange curaçao, not a Mai Tai. The Jamaican rum's funky, overripe-fruit character (from the esters produced during fermentation) is also essential; a neutral white rum produces a much less interesting drink.
Reduce rum to 1½ oz and add 1 oz of unsweetened pineapple juice. More tropical and accessible, popular at hotel bars.
Add ½ oz coconut rum alongside the standard recipe. Sweetens the drink and adds a tropical roundness.
Split the rum between ½ oz each of Jamaican dark, Puerto Rican light, and Demerara rum. The three-rum blend adds extraordinary depth.