The Mai Tai cocktail, made with Jamaican rum and lime juice, was created by Californian restaurateur Vic Bergeron in 1944. Despite imitations, Bergeron’s claim to be the creator of the Mai Tai is solid. The best Mai Tais are made with aged Jamaican rum, and the original recipe is still the best.
The Mai Tai is an alcoholic cocktail that has become synonymous with Hawaiian sunsets and relaxing in hammocks. It’s a mix of Jamaican rum and lime juice, garnished with fresh mint. Mai Tai is a much-imitated drink that, once tasted, is said to be unforgettable.
The creation of the original Mai Tai has sparked some debate. The most vocal of the creators is the late Vic Bergeron of Trader Vic fame. Before he died, Vic claimed that many people were trying to take credit for the drink he invented.
Bergeron was a famous Californian restaurateur who wrote about the creation of the Mai Tai in 1947. His book, The Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide (Revised), details how he created the exotic cocktail in 1944. Bergeron used rum, fresh lime, orange Curacao, candied sugar syrup and French barley water. He handed the shaken drink to a friend, who drank it and proclaimed in Tahitian, Mai tai roa ae, which means “out of this world, the best.”
Bergeron’s claim to be the creator of the Mai Tai appears to be solid. After creating the drink in his California restaurant, in 1953 he took the drink to Hawaii. Before he died, Bergeron was said to be understandably annoyed by other people trying to take credit for his drink.
Mai Tai is now a staple cocktail in the Hawaiian Islands, but many experts say it’s rare to find a true Mai Tai. They say the worst examples of Mai Tai can be found in Waikiki. Tourists come from all over the world to taste the real stuff, but many leave disappointed. Waikiki hotels heed the lure of cheap, mass-marketed Mai Tais by using inferior rums and swapping lime juice for island-grown pineapple juice. Now, the Mai Tai is just a big, sweet glass that shouldn’t be called a Mai Tai.
When it first appeared, the cocktail would set you back just 1.25 US dollars (USD). Now you can expect to pay up to 7 USD for the real thing. There are approximately 6,000 drinking establishments in Hawaii, and many of the best bars and hotels serve Mai Tai as expected.
One of the key factors in a Mai Tai is the age of the rum. Eight or fifteen year old Jamaican rum is best. The mix of other ingredients shouldn’t overwhelm the flavor of the rum. There are many variations on the drink, but like most things in life, the original is still the best.
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