Ask any Tiki enthusiast and they’ll tell you that the perfect starter drink for the world of tropical-tinged cocktails is the Mai Tai. First shaken by Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron in 1944, legend has it that one guest took a sip and exclaimed “Maita’i roa a’e” – Tahitian for “very good” – and the name stuck. Since then, it’s become the signature beverage of the scene. So wet your whistle on this National Mai Tai Day, the anniversary of that first sampling, with a special featured Mai Tai crafted with Holmes Cay Rum, followed by a special rum tasting to introduce you to this most misunderstood of spirits. – Richard Whittaker
