The Mai Tai is one of the most famous Tiki drinks in the world. Composed
of rum, orange curaçao, fresh lime juice and orgeat (a nuanced almond
syrup), it’s held sway over cocktail enthusiasts and Tiki aficionados for
decades. It even enjoyed a star turn in the Elvis film “Blue Hawaii”.
And as for the name: Supposedly, the first person to try the cocktail was
said to cry out
“Mai Tai!” which means
“the best—out of this world” in Tahitian.