The Union Tavern

The Mai Tai is synonymous with tiny paper umbrellas that look cute but just get in the way. It’s time to redefine the oftentimes overly sugary, over-poured drink. Enter Mike Rothmeyer, cocktail consultant for The Union Tavern in Anacortes. The name, “Mai Tai” means “very good” and that’s exactly what Rothmeyer set out to create in his three versions of the classic Tiki drink for the Union.

The bar serves a 1944 version (pictured), as well as a classic light, and a 1980s version with orange and pineapple juice, which most people are familiar with. Rothmeyer looked to history books for guidance in creating exactly what the original bartenders intended. The 1944 version comes from Trader Vic’s, undisputed creator of the original Mai Tai. The combination of Martinique and Jamaican rums best replicates the 17-year-old Wray and Nephew rum that Trader Vic’s used until it ran out. The ingredients meld together for flavors reminiscent of a sandy beach—smooth, slightly sour-sweet and brightened with a bit of mint. Rounding out the experience is an edible candid hibiscus flower, reason enough to order another round.

Mai Tai

Ingredients: Martinique Rum, Jamaican Rum, lime sour, orange Curaçao, orgeat, mint, candied hibiscus flower, $10

902 Commercial Ave., Anacortes
360.873.8245 | theuniontavern-local902.com

For more content like this, check out The Mixing Tin from our October Edition here.