The QC Mai Tai

The QC Mai Tai

The QC Mai Tai

The original Tiki classic. Our version.

Trader Vic created the Mai Tai in 1944, and it's been the benchmark of Tiki cocktails ever since. This version isn't Trader Vic's original recipe — it's the result of lengthy “research” by the team at Quantum Cocktails, and we think you'll approve. The soul of any great Mai Tai is the orgeat, and our Quantum Cocktails Orgeat brings the rich, almond-forward sweetness that makes this drink what it is.

Note: the photo above features frosted cranberries — a festive touch from a holiday version. Don't let that fool you. A Mai Tai is a year-round drink and needs no occasion to justify one.

Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 5 minutes

What You'll Need

  • 1 oz Jamaican rum (Appleton Signature is a great choice for beginners)
  • 1 oz dark rum (demerara-style if you can find it)
  • 1 oz Quantum Cocktails Orgeat
  • ¾ oz orange liqueur (dry curaçao is ideal; Triple Sec works too)
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice

How to Make It

  1. Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice.
  2. Shake well until chilled.
  3. Dirty pour — ice and all — into a rocks glass.
  4. Garnish with a large sprig of fresh mint and a half lime shell placed green-side up on the ice.

QC Tips

  • Don't skimp on the mint. In most cocktails, the garnish is decoration. In a Mai Tai, it's part of the drink. The aroma of fresh mint rising up as you sip is what makes this cocktail something truly special — use a big, fragrant sprig and make sure it's right under your nose as you drink.
  • The lime shell garnish is classic Mai Tai presentation — squeeze your lime for the juice, then place the empty half on top of the ice, green side facing up. Simple and striking.
  • Orgeat is the soul of this drink. Don't substitute it — our Quantum Cocktails Orgeat is made for exactly this.
  • The two-rum combination is what gives the Mai Tai its depth. If you only have one rum, Jamaican is the better choice.

These recipes are a starting point, not a rulebook. Adjust the ratios, swap ingredients, and make it your own. Drink the drink you want to drink.

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