(With photos)
If using sugar rather than syrup, muddle with the bitters and a splash of water, until dissolved. Stir all of the ingredients with ice and strain into a lowball glass with a single large cube or sphere of ice. May be mixed in the serving glass with the serving ice, for a less diluted drink. Garnish with an orange peel.
Prepare the serving glass. Chill a lowball glass with ice. Do not freeze.
If using sugar rather than syrup, muddle with the bitters and a splash of water, until dissolved. Stir all of the ingredients, except the absinthe, with ice. Dump the ice from the prepared glass and rinse the glass with the absinthe. Then, dump the absinthe and strain the cocktail into the absinthe-rinsed glass. Express and discard a lemon peel.
Stir all of the ingredients with ice in frozen mixing glass and strain into a frozen cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Stir all of the ingredients with ice in frozen mixing glass and strain into a frozen cocktail glass. Express and discard a lemon or orange peel and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Stir all of the ingredients with ice in frozen mixing glass and strain into a frozen cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist or an odd number of olives.
1½ fluid ounces of 94.6-proof London dry gin
Tanqueray London Dry Gin, “Imported” Strength1, recommended
½ fluid ounce of 100-proof2, grain-based3 vodka
Stolichnaya 100 Proof, recommended
¼ fluid ounce (1½ teaspoons) of a Kina Lillet substitute
Combine the ingredients in a shaker tin with ice and “shake it very well until it’s ice-cold”. Then, double strain into a frozen cocktail glass (classically, “a deep champagne goblet”). Garnish with a “large thin slice of lemon peel”.
Stir all of the ingredients with ice and strain into a lowball glass with a single large cube or sphere of ice. Garnish with an orange peel.
Stir all of the ingredients with ice and strain into a lowball glass with a single large cube or sphere of ice. Garnish with an orange peel.
1 fluid ounce of Italian vermouth
1 fluid ounce of Italian bitter red liqueur
Aperitivo Cappelletti1, recommended
Stir all of the ingredients with ice, strain into a highball or collins glass over fresh cubed ice, and top with sparkling water or soda water. Garnish with an orange or lemon peel.
2 fluid ounces of a Spanish-style light rum
Havana Club 3 Años of Cuba1, recommended
1 fluid ounce of fresh lime juice
⅓ fluid ounce (2 teaspoons) of demerara gum syrup or 2 teaspoons (8 grams) of demerara sugar
Liber & Co. Demerara Gum Syrup, pictured
Make sure the lime juice is well-strained. If using sugar rather than syrup, muddle with the lime juice until dissolved. Shake all of the ingredients with ice and double strain into a frozen cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel, if desired.
If using sugar rather than syrup, muddle with the lemon juice until dissolved. Shake all of the ingredients with ice and strain into a lowball glass with fresh cubed ice. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
Many sour recipes call for egg whites, however I have never enjoyed egg whites in cocktails.
2 fluid ounces of blanco tequila1
Olmeca Altos Plata, pictured
1 fluid ounce of Cointreau
1 fluid ounce of fresh lime juice
½ pinch of salt2 (optional)
Prepare the serving glass. Rim the edge of a larger-sized lowball glass or double old fashioned glass with lime juice and salt, if desired.
Shake all of the ingredients with ice and strain into the prepared glass, with fresh cubed ice. Garnish with a wedge of lime.
1½ fluid ounces of citrus vodka
Absolut Citron, recommended
¾ fluid ounce of Cointreau
¾ fluid ounce of fresh lime juice
¾ fluid ounce of cranberry juice cocktail
Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail, recommended
Make sure the lime juice is well-strained. Shake all of the ingredients with ice and strain – don’t double strain – into a frozen cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
2 fluid ounces of a gold or dark Jamaican rum or a blend of gold or dark Jamaican rums or a blend of one or more gold or dark Jamaican rums and an aged Martinican rhum agricole or a blend of one or more gold or dark Jamaican rums and a Martinican rhum grand arôme
1∶1 blend of Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12 Year Old of Jamaica and Clément V.S.O.P. Rhum Agricole Vieux of Martinique1, recommended
½ fluid ounce of orange curaçao
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, pictured
1 fluid ounce of fresh lime juice
¼ fluid ounce (1½ teaspoons) of orgeat syrup
Liber & Co. Almond Orgeat, pictured
¼ fluid ounce (1½ teaspoons) of demerara gum syrup
Liber & Co. Demerara Gum Syrup, pictured
Shake all of the ingredients with ice (preferably crushed) and pour (without straining) into a larger-sized lowball glass or double old fashioned glass. Garnish with the shell of a juiced lime and a sprig of mint.
Floating ½ fluid ounce of a 151-proof Demerara rum is a popular addition to the Mai Tai. While not part of the original recipe, it can add even more flavor (and alcohol).
1½ fluid ounces of a gold or dark Jamaican rum or a blend of gold or dark Jamaican rums
Appleton Estate Signature Blend of Jamaica, pictured
1½ fluid ounces of a Spanish-style gold rum
Havana Club Añejo Especial of Cuba, pictured
1 fluid ounce of a 151-proof Demerara rum
Lemon Hart 1511, pictured
½ fluid ounce of falernum
John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, pictured
½ fluid ounce of Don’s mix
B. G. Reynolds’ Paradise Blend, pictured
¾ fluid ounce of fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon of pomegranate grenadine
Liber & Co. Real Grenadine, pictured
⅛ teaspoon (1 dash) of pastis, Herbsaint, or French absinthe2
Pernod Absinthe Supérieure Original Recipe, pictured
1 dash of Angostura bitters
Shake all of the ingredients with ice. If making a single drink, pour (without straining) into a large glass that can hold about two regular sized drinks and top with ice as needed.
Otherwise, this recipe may be used for two lighter drinks; pour (without straining) into two larger-sized lowball glasses or double old fashioned glasses (this half-size drink is pictured above). Top with ice, as needed.
This drink would have originally been blended, however I shake blended tiki drinks instead.