Rye Tai
The Story
I don't recall where I originally found this cocktail recipe, but further research gives credit to bartender Nick Brown at The Spaniard in New York. It is obviously a riff on the Mai Tai, swapping out rum for rye whiskey. It serves as a great example of the flexibility of cocktail recipes. There are so many recipes that work well with an alternate base spirit. Don't be afraid to make your own variations on any recipe!
Ingredients
1½ oz Rye Whiskey
½ oz Orange Liqueur (Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or Dry Curaçao)
½ oz Orgeat
¾ oz Lime Juice
Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice
Shake for 8-10 seconds
Strain into a lowball with pebble ice
Garnish with a lime wheel, cocktail cherry and mint spring
We rarely have pebble ice on hand and usually just open pour this from the shaker. The garnish can be any subset of those listed, or none at all. For an added splash of color and spice, top with several dashes of Angostura bitters.