The traditional base spirit of a Mai Tai is rum.
The classic tropical cocktail combines rum with orange curaçao, orgeat syrup and fresh lime juice. Its defining character comes from the balance between aged rum, tart citrus, nutty almond-flavoured orgeat and orange liqueur—not from fruit juice alone.
Victor J. Bergeron, founder of Trader Vic’s, claimed to have created the drink in Oakland, California, in 1944. Donn Beach, another major tiki-bar pioneer, disputed that claim, making the cocktail’s origin story part of tiki history. Bergeron’s version helped establish the Mai Tai as a landmark of mid-century American cocktail culture.
Mai Tais are often confused with generic Hawaiian-style rum punches. Later resort recipes sometimes added pineapple juice, orange juice or a dark-rum float, but those additions are not essential to the classic formula. The name is commonly linked to maita’i, a Tahitian expression meaning “good” or “excellent.”