What does a Mai Tai taste like?
A Mai Tai tastes like rich, nutty, tropical rum punch: aged rum, lime, orange liqueur and almond syrup, sweet and tangy, with a deep caramel rum flavor underneath.
Mai Tai
rum, lime and almond
The Mai Tai is the king of tiki drinks, credited to Trader Vic. The classic is aged rum, lime, orange curaçao and orgeat (a sweet almond syrup), shaken and poured over crushed ice with a mint sprig. It tastes nutty and tropical without much fruit juice at all: caramel and molasses from the rum, a marzipan sweetness from the orgeat, and plenty of lime to keep it lively. Many bars and resorts add pineapple and orange juice and a dark rum float, which makes it fruitier, sweeter and pinker.
Where you’ll see it
On tiki bar, Hawaiian and beach menus, usually over crushed ice with mint and a lime shell or pineapple. Expect a juicy, fruit-punch version at resorts and the nutty classic at craft bars.
Order it if you want a tropical drink that is sweet and rum-forward, not just juice.
Quick questions
- Is a Mai Tai strong?
- Often, yes. Many recipes use two kinds of rum and a generous pour, so it is stronger than it tastes.
- What is orgeat?
- A sweet almond syrup, sometimes with a little orange flower water. It gives a Mai Tai its nutty, marzipan flavor.