Like a Short Trip to Tahiti: The Story of the Mai Tai

We all know the feeling: Enjoying rum‑and‑juice‑soaked tiki cocktails instantly whisk us to sun‑drenched South Seas beaches. Mentally slipping into a floral shirt, flip‑flops, raffia skirt, and coconut‑shell bikini, you’re transported to the era during which this exuberant drinking culture swept the globe from faraway islands—until you learn that drinks like the Mai Tai have never actually touched Tahiti’s sands. Rest assured: The magic behind this cocktails remains undimmed.