Summer is finally here and for us that means Mai Tais. Rumored to have depleted certain bottles of rum from the world supply, this delicious cocktail is one of the few to have escaped from the exotic cocktail craze of the 1930s and 40s and has found its way into nearly every bar menu on the planet.
Their is some debate between the two tiki giants, Donn Beach and Trader Vic as to who invented this concoction. The Mai Tai first showed up on menu's at Trader Vic's in 1944, but Donn Beach refutes it is simply Vic's attempt to recreate one of his recipes, the Q.B Cooler. This argument doesn't hold much water however as the Q.B. Cooler has almost twice the ingredient list. Still some argue they taste quite similar.
Whatever the true origin, this classic rum cocktail embodies everything summer and beach and has rightfully earned it's place as one of the most influential cocktails in history.