Roy’s Island Mai Tai

Roy’s restaurants serve up delicious Hawaiian fusion cuisine and a variety of cocktails to pair with the food. Roy’s Island Mai Tai is one of the restaurant’s signature drinks and, as far as we’re concerned, it is absolutely delicious. It’s a tropical drink with plenty of pineapple that is probably what most people think of when they think of a mai tai. It is not, however, what purists might think of when they think of a mai tai, since it is a whole lot sweeter than the concoction that Trader Vic came up with when he invented the drink in the 1904s. Putting the “original” recipe aside, Roy’s mai tai is a very tasty drink and it is easy to see why it is a best seller at the bar.

If you haven’t tasted Roy’s mai tai yet, you can head on over to a location near you, since they have a great happy hour (try the waygu burger!), or you could use this copycat recipe to make your own at home. This drink tastes almost exactly like what they’ll serve you at Roy’s – and the benefit of making them yourself is that you can pour an extra without worrying about how you’ll get home afterward! We’re not recommending that you over-indulge, of course, but these drinks go down quite easily and can catch you unaware if you’re not careful!

This drink uses a blend of pineapple and citrus juices, along with Bacardi white rum, as a base. It’s sweet and tangy, and you’re not going to taste much of that rum under all the juice. It doesn’t matter that you can’t taste the Bacardi, however, because the star of this drink is Cruzan Black Strap Rum, which is floated on top of the drink just before serving. It’s the same rum that they use in the restaurant and it has a unique molasses flavor that other dark rum’s don’t quite match. It really contrasts well with the sweet pineapple juice and gives the drink a rich and addictive quality. It may not be Trader Vic’s original mai tai, but it is a great tiki drink.

Roy’s Island Mai Tai
2 oz orange juice
2 oz pineapple juice
1 oz lime juice
1 oz triple sec
1 oz Bacardi white rum
1/ oz simple syrup
1/2 oz Cruzan Black Strap Rum

In a mixing glass, combine all ingredients except for the Cruzan. Shake and strain into a hurricane glass filled with ice. Float Black Strap Rum on top.

Serves 1.