1. Mai Tai

A rum-based cocktail.

The Mai Tai is arguablly the most popular and best known 'tropical' cocktail. There is ongoing debate as to who actually gets credit for developing the first Mai Tai, but the strongest contender is Vic Bergeron, founder of the Trader Vic's chain.

According to Bergeron, he developed the Mai Tai at his Oakland, California restaurant in 1944. Bergeron related that after experimenting with several exotic rum drinks, he mixed 17-year-old rum with lime, rock candy syrup, Dutch curacao and orgeat. Carrie and Ham Guild, Tahitian friends of Bergeron's, were said to have taken a sip of the new concotion and declared 'Mai Tai - Roa Ae!' ('Out of this world - the best!').

The Mai Tai recipe was refined and in 1953, Bergron took the drink to Hawaii, where he incorporated the Mai Tai into the bar menus of various hotels and cruise lines in the Hawaiian islands.

In the 1970s, singer Jimmy Buffett released the extremely popular song Margaritaville, and interest in the drink of the same name boomed. By the end of the decade the Margarita had surpassed the Mai Tai in popularity, and generally continues to do so today.

Although the Mai Tai does not quite have the following it did during the heyday of Tiki, it still remains a staple in most bars.

The Original Mai Tai Recipe	Modern Mai Tai Recipe
2 ounces 17-year-old J. Wray Nephew Jamaican rum 1/2 ounce French Garnier Orgeat 1/2 ounce Holland DeKuyper Orange Curacao 1/4 ounce Rock Candy Syrup juice from one fresh lime Hand shake and garnish with half of the lime shell inside the drink and float a sprig of fresh mint at the edge of the glass.	2 ounces Appleton Jamaican rum 3/4 ounce DeKuyper Orange Curacao 1/4 ounce orgeat syrup juice from one fresh lime 1/2 ounce Malibu Coconut Rum (optional) Shake with ice and garnish with cherry, pineapple slice, and fresh mint sprig.

Updated June 29, 2004