After Prohibition, perhaps no one individual did as much for rum drinking as Victor Bergeron. Trader Vic (his nom de guerre) was the owner of a restaurant in Emeryville, California. Legend has it that Tahitian friends of his came in and requested he conjure up something unusual for them. He went to work and, when presented with the finished product, the friends are alleged to have lifted a toast and said, “Mai tai! Roa ae!” It is supposed to mean “That is the best thing we’ve ever had.” Another story attributes the creation of the Mai Tai to Don the Beachcomber and suggests that Vic purloined it.
From the 1930s until the 1940s, Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber controlled empires manned by bartenders who created a repertoire of what are now known as tiki drinks.
makes 1 drink
1 ounce freshly squeezed strained lime juice
1 ounce Jamaican-style dark rum, such as Myers’s or Appleton
1 ounce amber rhum agricole, such as Rhum Damoiseau or Rhum St. James
½ ounce orange curaçao
1½ teaspoons Simple Syrup (page 39)
1½ teaspoons orgeat (almond) syrup (see page 36)
Crushed ice
1 sprig peppermint or 1 slice lime between two skewers tied with a twist for garnish
Combine all of the ingredients except the peppermint in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled highball glass. Garnish with the peppermint. Traditionally, a Mai Tai is served with a stirrer and a straw.