A lot of cocktail drinkers who prefer rum-based concoctions opt for the ubiquitous Mai Tai. There’s a lot of confusion among Indian drinkers about the origins of the drink and what really goes in it. The Mai Tai is an alcoholic cocktail based on rum, Curaçao liqueur, and lime juice, associated with Polynesian-style settings.
Legend has it that it was invented at the international chain Trader Vic’s restaurant in California, in 1944.
The drink is a mix of white and dark rum, an orange Curaçao instead of the more popular blue one and an orgeat syrup. Orgeat syrup is a sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar and rose water or orange flower water. It was, however, originally made with a barley-almond blend. It has a pronounced almond taste and is used to flavour many cocktails. Add 40 ml of white rum, 20 ml dark rum, 15 ml orange curaçao, 15 ml orgeat syrup and 10 ml fresh lime juice in a mixer with ice. Strain into glass and float the dark rum onto the top. Garnish and serve with straw.
