The Story Behind The Five-Spiced Mai Tai
The classic Mai Tai always makes me feel like I’m on a beach somewhere. This variation has a tropical twist, made with a five-spice-infused syrup that combines Szechuan pepper, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and a little fennel seed.
I also use some orange juice in this concoction to add sweetness. I balance it with aromatic bitters on top, in place of dark rum.
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More Rum Recipes To Explore
Shannon Mustipher’s The Bombo Recipe:
A precursor to the Old Fashioned, the Bombo utilizes fresh grated nutmeg to bring aromatic spice to this rum cocktail.
The Rum Runner Recipe:
The Rum Runner offers a fusion of sweet fresh fruit and spicy rum — a combination that is widely loved for its ability to beat the heat.
The Jamaican Rum Punch Recipe:
This French press cocktail recipe created by Tyler Zielinski for VinePair mixes rum, Grand Mariner, pineapple, lime, toasted coconut, jalapeño, and mint.
The Lawn Flamingo Recipe:
Checking all the flavor boxes, Brooklyn beverage director Sarah Boisjoli mixes sweet, tart, and savory with pineapple and lime juices, blackstrap rum, mezcal, Campari, and simple syrup. Learn how to make her recipe here.
The Dirty Banana Recipe:
This boozy frozen cocktail is a fan favorite across the Caribbean islands made with a hefty amount of rum, coffee liqueur, and bananas.
The Fire on the Mountain:
In the Fire on the Mountain, Jamaican and white rums meet an explosion of tropical fruit flavors for an inviting sip. See the recipe here!
