Head to head
Bourbon Renewal and Mai Tai side by side: what changes in the recipe, the balance, the strength and the calories.
The difference, by the numbers
Both have simple syrup. Only the Bourbon Renewal has bourbon, lemon juice, crème de cassis and Angostura bitters; only the Mai Tai has Jamaican rum, aged rum, orange curaçao, orgeat and lime juice. In parts, a Bourbon Renewal is 4 whiskey, 2 lemon, 1 cassis and 1 syrup; a Mai Tai is 2 rum, 2 rum, 1 Curaçao, 1 orgeat, 2 lime and ½ syrup. By volume, the Bourbon Renewal is 50% spirit, 25% citrus, 13% syrup and sugar and 12% liqueur; the Mai Tai is 47% spirit, 23% citrus, 18% syrup and sugar and 12% liqueur. That makes them close cousins on the ratio map.
The Bourbon Renewal is the stronger drink in the glass (15.0% ABV against 14.5%), but being smaller it holds about the same alcohol (1.68 and 1.69 standard drinks). The Mai Tai has more calories (about 242 against 231) and more sugar (17.2 g against 16.0 g). Both are shaken and served in a rocks glass.
Sours · Whiskey
The ratio · 4 : 2 : 1 : 1
Highlighted: not in the Mai Tai.
Tiki & Punches · Rum
The ratio · 2 : 2 : 1 : 1 : 2 : ½
Highlighted: not in the Bourbon Renewal.
Each drink sits nearer the corners it has more of: spirit, vermouth and bitter, citrus, mixer, syrup or liqueur. The gray dots are the other classics. Explore the full ratio map.
Bourbon Renewal vs.
Mai Tai vs.