Trader Vic's Mai Tai

Here is what Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron says about the birth of the Mai-Tai...

"Let's get the record straight... I originated the Mai Tai.
In 1944, after success with several exotic rum drinks, I felt a new drink was needed. I was at the service bar in my Oakland restaurant. I took down a bottle of 17-year old Jamaican J. Wray Nephew rum, added fresh lime, some Orange Curacao from Holland, a dash of Rock candy syrup, and a dollop of French Orgeat Syrup, for its subtle flavor. A generous amount of shaved ice and vigorous shaking by hand produced the marriage I was after.
Half the lime shell went in for color ... I stuck in a branch of fresh mint and gave two of them to Ham and Carrie Guild, friends from Tahiti, who were there that night.
Carrie took on sip and said, "Mai Tai - Roa Ae". In Tahitian this means "Out of this World - The Best". Well, that was that. I named the drink "Mai Tai". Victor Bergeron

Here is the original formula...

2 ounces 17 year old Wray and Nephew Jamaican rum
1 ounce Martinique Rum (St. James or Trader Vic's)
1/2 oz Holland deKuper orange Curacao
1 ounce French Garnier Orgeat Syrup
1/4 oz Rock candy syrup
Juice from one fresh lime

Shake well, strain into a double old
fashioned glass filled with crushed ice (not cubes!)
garnish with lime shell, and a fresh mint sprig,


Here is the "Original 1944" recipe...

1 ounce Trader Vic's Jamaican Rum (15- or 8-year old)
1 ounce Martinique Rum (St. James or Trader Vic's)
1/3 oz orange Curacao
1/3 oz Orgeat Syrup
1/3 oz Rock candy syrup
Juice from one fresh lime

Shake well, strain into a double old
fashioned glass filled with crushed ice (not cubes!)
garnish with lime shell, fruit stick, and a fresh mint sprig.


Here is the 1956 Mai Tai - Adjusted for 2020 ingredient availability
This recipe comes from a Letter Trader Vic wrote, May 24th 1956, It is from Kevin Crossman's "The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai"page. Check it out, chock full of information, recipies and reviews of Mai-Tai's from everywhere imaginable!

1 ounce Lime Juice
1/4 ounce Rock Candy Syrup
1/4 ounce Curacao
1/4 ounce Orgeat
1 1/2 ounces Lightly Aged Puerto Rican Rum
1/2 ounce Hamilton Pot Still Black Rum
1/4 ounce Coruba Dark Rum

Mix in 16 ounce tumbler glass with shaved ice. Drop half a spent lime shell in the glass. Stir and decorate with fresh mint.


Here is the current bar "well" recipe...

3/4 ounce Trader Vic's Mai-Tai concentrate
2 ounce Trader Vics Mai-Tai Rum *
Juice from one fresh lime

Shake well, strain into a double old
fashioned glass filled with crushed ice (not cubes!)
garnish with lime shell, fruit stick, and a fresh mint sprig.







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