While attending Julie Reiner's seminar [1] on tropical cocktails during the Food & Wine Classic [2], I came to the realization that tiki drinks are sort of a love it or hate it [3] kind of thing.

On the one hand, an icy, fruit-flavored tiki cocktail can be like having Guam in a glass — but on the flip side, many people find them to be overly cloying, rather than refreshing. When it comes to tiki drinks, is your glass half full or half empty?