In 1934, Ernest Gantt, aka Donn Beach, opened his first Tiki bar in California. Victor Bergeron, aka Trader Vic—as Tiki joint owners apparently don’t tend to use their real names—soon opened his first as well. The purportedly Polynesian theme caught on. Bergeron, who created his cocktail menu himself, came up with the mai tai in 1944.
The drink was built to showcase the rich, pungent flavors of dark Jamaican rum. (cosma/Shutterstock)
Forget what you might think you know about the mai tai. While the tropical theme might suggest sweet juices, the original drink balanced tart and sweet with an unapologetic showcase of a Jamaican rum Bergeron described as having a “rich, pungent flavor.” The recipe had just four ingredients: rum, Curaçao liqueur (made with the dried peel of the bitter orange laraha), orgeat (sweet almond) syrup, and freshly squeezed lime juice. The name came from Bergeron’s Tahitian friend’s reaction to the first sip: “Maita’i roa a’e,” meaning “Out of this world! The best!” So this is literally The Best cocktail….