Mai Tai Swizzle
The complex, grapefruit-driven, and historically significant forerunner to the more famous Trader Vic's Mai Tai, created by the father of tiki culture, Donn Beach.
25%
ABV
hard
Difficulty
Collins
Glass
Flavor Profile
History & Heritage
“The Mai Tai Swizzle was created by Donn Beach, the father of tiki culture, likely in the 1950s. It is a complex, multi-layered cocktail featuring a blend of rums, citrus, and spices. Unlike Trader Vic's more famous Mai Tai, the Swizzle is defined by its use of grapefruit juice and the swizzling technique that gives it its name.”
Ingredients
Quality ingredients make all the difference. Each component plays a crucial role.
1.5 oz
1 oz
1 oz
0.8 oz
0.5 oz
0.3 oz
1 dashes
6 dashes
Method
Technique transforms ingredients into something extraordinary.
Chill a tall Collins or highball glass.
Combine the lime juice, grapefruit juice, Cointreau, falernum, Angostura bitters, and Pernod/absinthe in the chilled glass.
Add the gold rum and half of the dark Jamaican rum (¾ oz).
Fill the glass about two-thirds full with crushed or pebble ice.
Swizzle the drink by rubbing the handle of a swizzle stick vigorously between your palms until a thick frost forms on the outside of the glass.
Top with more crushed ice to create a mound.
Float the remaining ¾ oz of dark Jamaican rum over the top.
Garnish with a large, fragrant sprig of fresh mint and a dehydrated grapefruit wheel.
Glassware
Served in a tall, clear Collins or highball glass
Garnish
Mint sprig and dehydrated grapefruit wheel
A large, fragrant sprig of fresh mint and a dehydrated grapefruit wheel
Flavor Journey
Every great cocktail tells a story through its flavors. Here's the sensory experience you can expect.
Sweet
out of 10
Sour
out of 10
Bitter
out of 10
Strong
out of 10
Master's Tips
Professional insights to elevate your craft
A vigorous swizzle is key to achieving the signature frost on the outside of the glass.
Using a blend of dark Jamaican rum and a gold rum provides a more nuanced and balanced rum profile.
Freshly squeezed lime and grapefruit juice are essential for the drink's vibrant, acidic character.
Variations & Riffs
Classic cocktails inspire countless variations. Here are some popular riffs on the Mai Tai Swizzle.
The Zombie
Another of Donn's famous creations, the Zombie shares a similar structure of multiple rums, citrus, and spice, but with the addition of cinnamon syrup and a higher proof.
Changes
More to Explore
If you enjoyed this cocktail, these similar creations might capture your interest.
Black Magic
The legendary Mai-Kai Tiki cocktail featuring dark rums, tropical juices, and coffee—a complex, powerful creation representing the pinnacle of Polynesian Pop culture.
Corn 'n' Oil
Barbadian classic—blackstrap rum with falernum and a dash of bitters over ice.
Don the Beachcomber's Planter's Punch
Donn Beach's 1937 masterpiece that transformed the rustic Jamaican punch into a complex tiki classic with three distinct rums, falernum, grenadine, and Angostura bitters.