Mai Tai (Trader Vic's Original)
Victor 'Trader Vic' Bergeron created the Mai Tai in 1944 using a 17-year-old J. Wray & Nephew rum. His recipe was simple: rum, lime, orgeat, orange curaçao — 'Out of this world!' The name means 'out of this world' in Tahitian. Today's version splits the rum base between aged rum and overproof Jamaican for depth and funk. Orgeat is the soul of this cocktail — use Small Hand Foods or Liber & Co, not the almond-extract-heavy commercial versions.