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Maitai History
Some controversy surrounds the invention of this cocktail sensation. Victor Bergeron, who later became famous as ‘Trader Vic’ claims to have invented the Maitai in the 1940’s at his Oakland California restaurant. However Donn Beach also has made this claim based on his Q. B. Cooler cocktail created in the 1930’s. It was trader Vic that made it famous when he introduced it to Waikiki’s Royal Hawaiian and Moana hotels in the 1950’s. To please the tourists, the cocktail was sweetened with tropical juices and was named the “Tourist Tantalizer” in 1959. Later the the dark rum float was added and the beverage renamed to Maitai, the Tahitian word for excellence. Today there are too many versions of this great cocktail to count. Many restaurants offer the classic 1944 Maitai as well as the newer sweeter versions. Try them both and enjoy the differences!
Salt water ponds at Hana Maui looking towards the Big Island of Hawaii
www.maitailanai.net
© 2020-2022 all content copyright maitailanai
Maitai History
Some controversy surrounds the invention of this cocktail sensation. Victor Bergeron, who later became famous as ‘Trader Vic’ claims to have invented the Maitai in the 1940’s at his Oakland California restaurant. However Donn Beach also has made this claim based on his Q. B. Cooler cocktail created in the 1930’s. It was trader Vic that made it famous when he introduced it to Waikiki’s Royal Hawaiian and Moana hotels in the 1950’s. To please the tourists, the cocktail was sweetened with tropical juices and was named the “Tourist Tantalizer” in 1959. Later the the dark rum float was added and the beverage renamed to Maitai, the Tahitian word for excellence. Today there are too many versions of this great cocktail to count. Many restaurants offer the classic 1944 Maitai as well as the newer sweeter versions. Try them both and enjoy the differences!
