The Other Mai Tais

While there is only one true recipe for the original Mai Tai,that’s not to say there can’t be variations. The Trader himself had his own alternative Mai Tais. The Honi Honi was his bourbon Mai Tai,which just subbed bourbon for rum. I used Makers Mark to make these for a friend at our Xmas party who didn’t like rum. He loved it.

Mix #2 the Honi Honi

2oz bourbon
1oz lime juice
1/2oz orange curacao
1/2oz orgeat
1/4oz simple syrup

Trader Vic’s also has alternate Mai Tais at their locations which use juices such as passion fruit,mango,and guava. Here’s their Guava Tai from one of the e-mails they’ve sent me:

Mix #3 TV’s Guava Tai

1oz gold rum
1oz light rum
3/4oz Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate(not mix)
1oz guava juice
1/2oz lime juice.

I’ve even created my own two variations. The first was a happy accident. I decided to make a high octane Mai Tai by using Hamilton’s Beachbum Berry’s Zombie Blend,a nice ‘little 118 proof’ rum. Zombies usually take 4oz of rum,so I used 2oz in my Mai Tai. After feeling the effects of this,I decided to actually read the label on the bottle,and found out that only 2oz was intended to be used to make their version of the Zombie. Oops. Oh well,I can work with this. I swapped the orange curacao for blue,and it gave the drink a cool ‘zombie’ coloring. Since this upgunned Mai Tai can sink you,I named it the Davy Jones Mai Tai.

Mix #4 Davy Jones Mai Tai

2oz Hamilton Beachbum Berry’s Zombie Blend
1oz lime juice
1/2oz blue curacao
1/2oz orgeat
1/4oz simple syrup

The second was intended to make a funky Mai Tai. I love Demerara rum,and used this as the base with other ingredients intended to bring the funk. I submitted this to BG Reynolds’ website and was told they would post it. In the meantime,here it is for your enjoyment.

Mix #5 Funk #44

2oz Lemon Hart & Sons 1804
1oz lime juice
1/2oz Solerno blood orange
1/2oz orgeat
1/4oz BG Reynolds Demerara syrup

Enjoy!