Go Back
alt text

Classic Mai Tai Recipe (Wheat-Free, 5 Minutes)

This balanced Mai Tai layers bright lime, almond orgeat, orange liqueur, and a rich dark rum float for a tropical sipper that’s naturally wheat-free. Built in a shaker and served over ice, it’s aromatic, refreshing, and true to classic proportions without juice-heavy shortcuts.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ounces aged/dark rum divided (1.5 oz in the shake, 0.5 oz floated)
  • 1 ounce white or gold rum
  • 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 ounce orgeat almond syrup
  • 1/2 ounce orange liqueur curaçao or triple sec
  • Optional: 1/4 ounce simple or honey syrup if a touch sweeter is preferred
  • Garnish: mint sprig and lime wheel
  • Wheat-free note: Traditional rum orgeat, and orange liqueur are typically wheat-free; confirm brand labels to avoid neutral grain spirits derived from wheat or flavoring additives with gluten.

Equipment

  • Cocktail shaker filled with ice
  • Hawthorne strainer and fine mesh strainer (or a small kitchen sieve)
  • Double old-fashioned or rocks glass, filled with fresh ice
  • Jigger for accurate measuring

Method
 

  1. Chill glass: Fill a rocks glass with fresh ice to chill while mixing the cocktail.
  2. Shake: Add white/gold rum, 1.5 oz of the dark/aged rum, lime juice, orgeat, and orange liqueur to a shaker filled with ice; shake until the shaker is frosty.
  3. Strain: Dump any melted water from the glass, add fresh ice, and strain the cocktail into the glass through a fine strainer for a silky texture.
  4. Float: Gently float the remaining 0.5 oz dark rum over the back of a spoon to create a layered effect.
  5. Garnish: Express a mint sprig and add a lime wheel; serve immediately.

Notes

Balance: Orgeat brings body and almond aroma; adjust sweetness with a small splash of simple or honey syrup to taste.
Ice choice: Crushed ice chills faster and enhances dilution in tiki-style service; large cubes slow dilution for a stronger sip.
Rum matters: Aged/demerara rums add depth; a quality orange liqueur keeps the profile crisp rather than sugary.
Batch option: Multiply ingredients for a pitcher; add the dark rum float per glass at serve for presentation.