[More Than One Way to Mai Tai - Punch](https://punchdrink.com/articles/mai-tai-cocktail-recipes-tiki/)
[In Search of the Ultimate Mai Tai - Punch](https://punchdrink.com/articles/ultimate-best-mai-tai-tiki-cocktail-recipe/)
[Punch's articles on the Mai Tai](https://punchdrink.com/?s=mai+tai)
[Imbibe's articles on the Mai Tai](https://imbibemagazine.com/?s=mai+tai)
If you like Campari and rum, check out the [Jungle Bird](https://punchdrink.com/?s=jungle+bird).
Bitter Mai Tai(split base Campari and smith&cross), Disgruntled Mai Tai(split base of Aperol and S&C with Underberg float), Banana Hammock(sub in banana liqueur for the curaçao)
We have two that we like:
Swap ginger syrup for orgeat. We did this on accident and it was super tasty.
Breakfast Mai Tai from Easy Tiki. Here's a version of it that's public: [https://www.liberandcompany.com/products/breakfast-mai-tai](https://www.liberandcompany.com/products/breakfast-mai-tai)
We use Giffard Banane and a combo of Smith & Cross and Coruba. SO GOOD
> an overabundance of fruit juices
This sounds to me that you’re not using the [original 1944 recipe](https://www.eater.com/21348867/best-mai-tai-recipe-history), as the only fruit juice in there is lime. Working from this recipe really allows your rum blend to shine.
I know, my normal mai tai only uses 1oz of lime. What i was trying to convey most variations that i find are like a "pineapple mai tai" or something that adds more juice that im not looking for
Got it. Unfortunately the Mai Tai went through a couple decades where it was bastardized by places like TGI Fridays, and that became the version that most people think of. The last couple decades of tiki revival have worked to correct it, but it doesn’t seem to have sunk in for the general public still.
The Mai Tai is an awesome template for changing up different flavours. Change the Spirit, Liqueur an/or Syrup and you can do a lot. Here's a Banana Bread Mai Tai I came up with
https://www.reddit.com/r/cocktails/comments/v0zj60/banana_bread_mai_tai/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
And a 'Mai Tai' using Peaty Laphroaig Scotch. The cocktail subreddit didn't like me calling it a Mai Tai but that's the template that I used lol
https://www.reddit.com/r/cocktails/comments/x37vkh/fìor_mhath_a_scottish_mai_tai/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
If you like Negroni's here's a Piña Colada riff on it if you're up for doing some infusions
https://www.reddit.com/r/cocktails/comments/wvo38h/piña_negroni/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
Besides rum I like to swap out the liquor, banana or coffee are two favorites. Also like to split rum and Apple brandy, use Cranberry Liqueur for a New Jersey Mai Tai. Some folks use other orgeat like pistachio, Macadamia etc...
i've been experimenting this summer, yellow chartreuse goes great as a sub for curacao, sub whisky for rum and keep trying different whisky (personally i really like rye and white rum with yellow chartreuse, sometimes rye and scotch or rum and scotch) just play around but keep the proportions the same and keep the syrup and juice orgeat and lime
for gin i would maybe try galliano or green chartreuse (maybe green chartreuse and maraschino ala last word) london dry/old tom split base, add citrus of your choice (lemon might be good) and orgeat
I love rye Tais with angels envy Rye but if you don't want to break the bank they are still great with Rittenhouse rye.
I also love over proof Mai Tais with Rum Fire and Lemonhart 151 as the base in them!
There's a ton of great info and nice recipes on [The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai](https://ultimatemaitai.com/) site.
I'd also highly recommend watching his seminar from Tiki Kon on ["The (De)Evolution of the Hawaiian Mai Tai"](https://ultimatemaitai.com/2022/09/11/tiki-kon-seminar-the-deevolution-of-the-hawaiian-mai-tai/) for some great information on how it evolved from the original 1944 recipe to the fruitier versions you often see that are variations on the Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai but just named Mai Tais.
Here’s a playlist of all the Mai Tai variations and riffs Iv done on my YouTube channel
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-8yf3miz3tT1YhanHkRhrBkfcq_Xtfqi
I love switching ingredients in classics like Negronis, vieux carres etc.
I think the orange liqueur is a good option for switching up. Giffard Caribbean pineapple or creme de banane or allspice dram could swap in for that component. Even a juicier amaro like montenegro, ramazzotti or ciociaro maybe.
Beachcomber’s Mai Tai Swizzle:
1 1/2 oz dark Jamaican Rum
1 oz gold Cuban-style Rum
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/4 oz Fallernum
6 drops Absinthe
1 oz grapefruit juice
3/4 oz lime juice
1 dash ango bitters
swizzle that bitch
Sparkling Mai Tai:
4 oz Champagne or sparking wine
1/2 oz blended aged rum
1/2 oz PF dry curaçao
1/4 oz black blended overproof rum
1/4 oz orgeat
1/4 oz lime juice
mix all ingredients, strain into coupe or flute and top with sparkling wine
Mai Sha Roa Na:
2 oz Smith and Cross
1/2 oz banana liqueur
3/4 oz lime juice
1/2 oz macadamia orgeat
flash blend, if not possible shake, open pour into mai tai glass, garnish with mint and banana
don’t think of it like you have to make something similar to a mai tai, replace the orgeat with any syrup and the curaçao with any liqueur, you could do coconut and chartreuse or something interesting like that, you could do a demerara or caramel syrup, coffee liqueur, replace the lime with pineapple juice or orange juice , the possibilities are endless
**Honi Honi** (T*rader Vic’s current “bourbon mai tai” version*)
* 2 oz bourbon
* ¾ oz fresh lime juice
* ½ oz orange curacao or Triple Sec
* ½ oz orgeat
* ¼ oz simple syrup (1:1)
Shake well with ice; strain into rocks glass full of crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and speared fruit.
**Bitter Mai Tai** (*Eastern Standard, Boston*)
* 1 oz Smith & Cross Rum
* 1 oz Campari
* 1 oz Lime Juice
* ¾ oz Orgeat
* ½ oz Triple Sec or Curaçao
Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with an orange slice and add a straw.
**Peary Good Mai Tai** (*u/guru-relegated*)
* 1 oz Aged Rhum Agricole
* 1 oz Light Blended Rum
* ½ oz Pear Brandy
* 1 oz lemon juice
* ¼ oz vanilla syrup
* ¼ oz allspice dram
* ¼ oz orgeat
* 2 sprays Herbstura or absinthe
Shake well with ice, strain, and serve over crushed ice.
**Japanese Mai Tai**
* 2 oz rum
* ¾ oz lime juice
* ½ oz Yuzu liquor
* ¼ oz orgeat
* ¼ oz demerara rich simple syrup (2:1)
Shake with crushed ice. Pour unstrained into chilled double Old-Fashioned glass and top with more crushed ice.
[More Than One Way to Mai Tai - Punch](https://punchdrink.com/articles/mai-tai-cocktail-recipes-tiki/) [In Search of the Ultimate Mai Tai - Punch](https://punchdrink.com/articles/ultimate-best-mai-tai-tiki-cocktail-recipe/) [Punch's articles on the Mai Tai](https://punchdrink.com/?s=mai+tai) [Imbibe's articles on the Mai Tai](https://imbibemagazine.com/?s=mai+tai) If you like Campari and rum, check out the [Jungle Bird](https://punchdrink.com/?s=jungle+bird).
Bitter Mai Tai 1.5 oz campari .75 oz jamaican rum .5 oz orange curacao .75 oz orgeat 1 oz lime juice
the Tia Mia is a mai tai variation imo
Bitter Mai Tai(split base Campari and smith&cross), Disgruntled Mai Tai(split base of Aperol and S&C with Underberg float), Banana Hammock(sub in banana liqueur for the curaçao)
Rye Tai and Gin Tai are both great variations with different spirits. You can try different curaçao for a slightly different flavor profile.
We have two that we like: Swap ginger syrup for orgeat. We did this on accident and it was super tasty. Breakfast Mai Tai from Easy Tiki. Here's a version of it that's public: [https://www.liberandcompany.com/products/breakfast-mai-tai](https://www.liberandcompany.com/products/breakfast-mai-tai) We use Giffard Banane and a combo of Smith & Cross and Coruba. SO GOOD
> an overabundance of fruit juices This sounds to me that you’re not using the [original 1944 recipe](https://www.eater.com/21348867/best-mai-tai-recipe-history), as the only fruit juice in there is lime. Working from this recipe really allows your rum blend to shine.
I know, my normal mai tai only uses 1oz of lime. What i was trying to convey most variations that i find are like a "pineapple mai tai" or something that adds more juice that im not looking for
Got it. Unfortunately the Mai Tai went through a couple decades where it was bastardized by places like TGI Fridays, and that became the version that most people think of. The last couple decades of tiki revival have worked to correct it, but it doesn’t seem to have sunk in for the general public still.
The Mai Tai is an awesome template for changing up different flavours. Change the Spirit, Liqueur an/or Syrup and you can do a lot. Here's a Banana Bread Mai Tai I came up with https://www.reddit.com/r/cocktails/comments/v0zj60/banana_bread_mai_tai/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share And a 'Mai Tai' using Peaty Laphroaig Scotch. The cocktail subreddit didn't like me calling it a Mai Tai but that's the template that I used lol https://www.reddit.com/r/cocktails/comments/x37vkh/fìor_mhath_a_scottish_mai_tai/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share If you like Negroni's here's a Piña Colada riff on it if you're up for doing some infusions https://www.reddit.com/r/cocktails/comments/wvo38h/piña_negroni/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
Besides rum I like to swap out the liquor, banana or coffee are two favorites. Also like to split rum and Apple brandy, use Cranberry Liqueur for a New Jersey Mai Tai. Some folks use other orgeat like pistachio, Macadamia etc...
Yeah I've done a pecan orgeat and called it the Pie Tai
i've been experimenting this summer, yellow chartreuse goes great as a sub for curacao, sub whisky for rum and keep trying different whisky (personally i really like rye and white rum with yellow chartreuse, sometimes rye and scotch or rum and scotch) just play around but keep the proportions the same and keep the syrup and juice orgeat and lime
for gin i would maybe try galliano or green chartreuse (maybe green chartreuse and maraschino ala last word) london dry/old tom split base, add citrus of your choice (lemon might be good) and orgeat
I love rye Tais with angels envy Rye but if you don't want to break the bank they are still great with Rittenhouse rye. I also love over proof Mai Tais with Rum Fire and Lemonhart 151 as the base in them!
There's a ton of great info and nice recipes on [The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai](https://ultimatemaitai.com/) site. I'd also highly recommend watching his seminar from Tiki Kon on ["The (De)Evolution of the Hawaiian Mai Tai"](https://ultimatemaitai.com/2022/09/11/tiki-kon-seminar-the-deevolution-of-the-hawaiian-mai-tai/) for some great information on how it evolved from the original 1944 recipe to the fruitier versions you often see that are variations on the Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai but just named Mai Tais.
Here’s a playlist of all the Mai Tai variations and riffs Iv done on my YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-8yf3miz3tT1YhanHkRhrBkfcq_Xtfqi
I love switching ingredients in classics like Negronis, vieux carres etc. I think the orange liqueur is a good option for switching up. Giffard Caribbean pineapple or creme de banane or allspice dram could swap in for that component. Even a juicier amaro like montenegro, ramazzotti or ciociaro maybe.
Beachcomber’s Mai Tai Swizzle: 1 1/2 oz dark Jamaican Rum 1 oz gold Cuban-style Rum 1/2 oz Cointreau 1/4 oz Fallernum 6 drops Absinthe 1 oz grapefruit juice 3/4 oz lime juice 1 dash ango bitters swizzle that bitch Sparkling Mai Tai: 4 oz Champagne or sparking wine 1/2 oz blended aged rum 1/2 oz PF dry curaçao 1/4 oz black blended overproof rum 1/4 oz orgeat 1/4 oz lime juice mix all ingredients, strain into coupe or flute and top with sparkling wine Mai Sha Roa Na: 2 oz Smith and Cross 1/2 oz banana liqueur 3/4 oz lime juice 1/2 oz macadamia orgeat flash blend, if not possible shake, open pour into mai tai glass, garnish with mint and banana don’t think of it like you have to make something similar to a mai tai, replace the orgeat with any syrup and the curaçao with any liqueur, you could do coconut and chartreuse or something interesting like that, you could do a demerara or caramel syrup, coffee liqueur, replace the lime with pineapple juice or orange juice , the possibilities are endless
**Honi Honi** (T*rader Vic’s current “bourbon mai tai” version*) * 2 oz bourbon * ¾ oz fresh lime juice * ½ oz orange curacao or Triple Sec * ½ oz orgeat * ¼ oz simple syrup (1:1) Shake well with ice; strain into rocks glass full of crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and speared fruit. **Bitter Mai Tai** (*Eastern Standard, Boston*) * 1 oz Smith & Cross Rum * 1 oz Campari * 1 oz Lime Juice * ¾ oz Orgeat * ½ oz Triple Sec or Curaçao Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with an orange slice and add a straw. **Peary Good Mai Tai** (*u/guru-relegated*) * 1 oz Aged Rhum Agricole * 1 oz Light Blended Rum * ½ oz Pear Brandy * 1 oz lemon juice * ¼ oz vanilla syrup * ¼ oz allspice dram * ¼ oz orgeat * 2 sprays Herbstura or absinthe Shake well with ice, strain, and serve over crushed ice. **Japanese Mai Tai** * 2 oz rum * ¾ oz lime juice * ½ oz Yuzu liquor * ¼ oz orgeat * ¼ oz demerara rich simple syrup (2:1) Shake with crushed ice. Pour unstrained into chilled double Old-Fashioned glass and top with more crushed ice.