Christmas Mai Tai
A tropical-meets-holiday Mai Tai made with rum, citrus, allspice dram, and a hint of almond. Festive, bright, and beautifully spiced for Christmas.
Because every drink deserves a beautiful moment.
Ingredients
2 oz aged or dark rum
½ oz fresh blood orange juice
¾ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz allspice dram
½ oz simple syrup
Garnish: dried or fresh blood orange wheel, fresh cranberries, mint sprig
Instructions
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add rum, blood orange juice, lime juice, allspice dram, and simple syrup.
Shake vigorously for 10–12 seconds until well chilled.
Strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice.
Garnish with a blood orange wheel, fresh cranberries, and a mint sprig.
Notes from the Bar
Rum Choice
Aged or dark rum works beautifully here. Look for something with warm vanilla or caramel notes to complement the allspice dram.
Allspice Dram Sweetness
Allspice dram adds both spice and sweetness, which is why this recipe doesn’t require orgeat.
• If you like a sweeter or slightly creamier Mai Tai:
Add ¼ oz orgeat (½ oz if you like it dessert-leaning).
• Orgeat gives a subtle almond richness that leans more classic tiki.
Blood Orange Swap
If you don’t have blood orange, use regular orange juice — but the deeper color and berry-citrus notes of blood orange make this version shine.
Crushed Ice Matters
Crushed ice dilutes slowly and keeps the drink cold while creating that classic tiki texture.
Holiday Garnish Tips
Try topping with a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg or a mini rosemary sprig for even more festive aroma.
Batch for 6
In a pitcher, combine:
12 oz rum
3 oz blood orange juice
4½ oz lime juice
3 oz allspice dram
3 oz simple syrup
Chill until ready to serve. Pour over crushed ice and garnish individually.
Heads up: We may earn a small commission on products we’ve linked here. We only recommend the real-deal favorites from our kitchen.
until next time, keep the spirit high and the company good,
Kevin & Kate
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