The Best Rums to Make a Classic Mai Tai, According to Experts
Denizen Merchant’s Reserve
Not many spirits are developed for a single cocktail, but that’s what Denizen set out to do with Merchant’s Reserve. “It’s designed to mimic the flavor profile of what Vic called his ‘Second Adjusted Mai Tai Formula,’ a blend of eight-year-old Jamaican rum and molasses-based Martinique rum,” says Cate.
R.L. Seale 12
From the legendary Four Square distillery in Barbados, R.L. Seale 12-year is a big, bold rum. It showcases notes of orange peel, nutmeg, molasses, and soft oak.
Smith and Cross
When it comes to tropical drinks, Smith and Cross should be one of the first funky Jamaican rums you seek. It’s one of the biggest, funkiest Jamaican rums that’s also affordable and readily available.
Banks 7 Golden Age
Despite what it may suggest, the “7” in Banks 7 Golden Age’s name doesn’t refer to the rum’s age. It’s a reference to the seven countries from which these blended rums originate.
Rhum J.M 55
Before you can break the rules, you first must understand why they’re in place. To use an unaged agricole from Martinique in a Mai Tai is a bold decision. When fresh cane rums are used in a Mai Tai, they’re usually barrel-aged. That tempers some of the fresh and grassy aromas and flavors of an agricole-style rum.
Appleton Estate Legend 17 Year
In 2023, Appleton Estate revived the original Wray & Nephew 17. Using what documentation it had regarding production, Appleton Estate toiled to recreate the extinct classic. The 1,500 bottles are largely sold out and a bit pricey. But if you seek to match Trader Vic’s original recipe, there’s no modern rum that’s closer to the original.
