They say necessity is the mother of invention. A case in point is the daiquiri, a Cuban-born rum cocktail now one of the great classics.
According to history, the daiquiri is an invention by an American engineer in Cuba in the 1890s who had no gin for the punch he was making.
At its most basic, the daiquiri is rum, lime juice, and sugar, but it has taken on various iterations. I’ve compiled a list of the best rum for daiquiris to try for your next tropical extravaganza.
Best Rum for Making a Daiquiri
Plantation 3 Star
Plantation rum is a company that creates unique blends and specializes in three main styles of rum, including Spanish, English, and Agricultural. Plantation 3 Star is a classic Caribbean white rum featuring a blend of rums from Barbados, Trinidad, and Jamaica.
It has a light-bodied, bittersweet palate with flavors of root beer, cream, and dark chocolate.
El Dorado 3 Year
El Dorado is a historic rum distillery with over 300 years as the pride of Guyana. EL Dorado's three-year aged rum is a cask-aged white rum that undergoes charcoal filtration to instill a smooth palate.Â
You get a well-rounded flavor profile, starting with citrus and vanilla that lead to chocolate, coconut, and raisin.
Don Q Cristal
Don Q is a Puerto Rican rum company from the age-old Serralles family plantation, with over 150 years of rum distilling to inform their award-winning rums. The Don Q Cristal is their clear, white rum that undergoes multiple filtration processes.
Don Q Cristal is the smoothest rum with an almost undetectable taste that works well in any cocktail.
Bacardi Superior
Bacardi is the most well-known rum producer in the world, founded by Facundo Bacardi in Cuba over 150 years ago. The Bacardi Superior, also known as Carta Blanca, is the original white rum from the founder’s own recipe.Â
Bacardi has a creamy and smooth palate with a clean, dry finish. It’s the gold standard of white rum and perfect for any Cuban cocktail.
Flor de Caña 4 Year Rum Extra Seco
Flor De Cana is a Nicaraguan rum company founded in 1890 by Italian immigrant Alfredo Francisco Pellas Canessa. The distillery lies at the base of a volcano and boasts Fari-Trade and eco-friendly rum-making practices.Â
The four-year Rum Extra Seco is a clear rum with a light-bodied palate of vanilla, orange, and candied fruits.
Equiano
Equiano is the first Afro-Caribbean rum company, using unique blends from Caribbean and African rum distilleries to honor the company’s founder and former African slave Olaudah Equiano.Â
Equiano Light exemplifies the marriage of African and Caribbean rums by using both barrel-aged molasses rum and fresh sugar cane rum.
Owney’s Original
Owney’s Original is named for the Prohibition-era rum runner Owen Madden and is the only rum on my list distilled in New York by a female master distiller.Â
Owney’s Original is a tasty blend that has notes of creamy bread and vanilla with lingering notes of butter and dried fruit.
Cheers!
Rum-making is a Caribbean specialty, and each Caribbean country has a unique set of rules and styles. My list of the best rum for daiquiris encompasses a wide range of traditions from new and old distilleries.
Let me know which rum you thought made the best daiquiri in the comments below.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings