The Mai Tai is the quintessential 'Tiki' cocktail. It was created in 1944 by Victor J. Bergeron, better known as 'Trader Vic,' at his restaurant in Oakland, California. He reportedly made it for two friends visiting from Tahiti. Upon tasting it, one of them exclaimed, 'Mai Tai-Roa Aé!', which translates from Tahitian to 'Out of this world! The best!' The original recipe was designed to showcase a 17-year-old J. Wray & Nephew Jamaican rum, mixed with lime juice, orange curaçao, rock candy syrup, and orgeat (an almond syrup). Over time, many bars began adding pineapple and orange juice, which Trader Vic considered a travesty to the original balanced formula. The drink became a symbol of mid-century Americana and the tropical escapism of the Tiki bar movement.