For the curious home bartenders out there, I've set aside a dedicated list of all the ingredients you'll need. Now let's dive into the history.
The Mai Tai was born in Oakland, California, in 1944, at the restaurant Trader Vic's, created by the owner Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron. According to the legend, Vic shook it up for two Tahitian friends visiting the bar. One of them, Carrie Guild, sipped it and exclaimed: "Mai tai-roa ae!", which in Tahitian means "out of this world, the best!" The name stuck.
Bergeron became locked in a decades-long feud with rival tiki pioneer Donn Beach, who also claimed to have invented the drink. The Mai Tai became the symbol of the tiki wave of 1950s America, and the queen of every Polynesian-themed bar, eventually conquering Hawaii itself, where it has reigned as the house cocktail of a thousand beachfront hotels.
To make this recipe shine, pair a great story with great tools. A barman kit like the one I use from Amazon is the perfect starting point: compact, complete, and ready. For those ready to take the next step, a professional cocktail bar station is a real game-changer — think of it as your personal speakeasy.