Mai Tai

On a hot summer day, I find classic tropical drinks very refreshing, and a Mai Tai is one of my favorites. This version is only slightly different from the standard recipe as I’ve added pineapple liqueur to the mix. 

To elevate the drink from “poolside bar” to “cocktail worth bragging about,” focus on your ingredients – quality matters. I prefer Myers’s Original Dark rum and fresh pineapple juice (instead of canned). 

Ingredients

Serves: Two

2 ounces lime juice 

2 ounces orgeat syrup 

2 ounces pineapple liqueur 

2 ounces orange liqueur 

2 ounces pineapple juice 

4 ounces aged rum

2 ounces dark rum

2 small wedges of pineapple  

Handful of fresh mint

Directions: 

Add the first six ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and vigorously shake for 30 seconds.

Add ice to each glass and then rub one mint leaf around the rim. 

Evenly pour the drink into the glasses and top each one with one ounce of dark rum.  

Garnish with a small wedge of pineapple and a few mint leaves.

This article was published in the July/August 2023 print edition of Katonah Connect.