Recipe: Original Mai Tai (Victor Bergeron, 1944)
August 30, 2012 by Mr. Boozenik
Filed under Recipes
Greeted by one of it’s first drinkers with a cheer of “Maita’i roa ae!” (which roughly translates to “Out of this world! The Best!”), Victor Bergeron’s status in the cocktail world was assured with his Mai Tai. This is the supposed original recipe, or the best approximation we could readily obtain.
The Original Victor Bergeron Mai Tai from 1944
2 oz. 17-year old J. Wray & Nephew Rum
Juice of one fresh lime
1/2 oz. Holland DeKuyper Orange Curacao.
1/4 oz. Trader Vic’s Rock Candy Syrup.
1/2 oz. French Garier Orgeat Syrup
Shake vigorously.
Pour over fresh shaved ice.
Add a sprig of fresh mint.
Typical presentation can also include a lime wedge
Since some of the specific ingredients asked for are not (readily?) available, substitutions will have to be made. While I’m not sure what is used in Trader Vic’s these days, Ms. Boozenik and I have had nice success with Denizen rum and with Banks 5 rum, and also using B. G. Reynold’s Orgeat Syrup.
This just in from our friends at Trader Vic’s Portland:
“St. James and Smith & Cross for the 1944s, which is an amazing combo.
If you ask for a float, you’ll get Lemon Hart 151. Now that’s a Mai Tai!”
Apparently that’s an ounce each of those two rums, to replace the long gone 17-year old J. Wray & Nephew Rum.