Paul Kushner
The Daiquiri is a classic, simple recipe that’s actually one of the freshest out there. If you like rum, you should give this one a try. If you don’t like rum, you should invest in a top-shelf brand and still give this one a try. Just about every bar and restaurant serves it, but you’ll get the best experience when you make it yourself from quality ingredients.
History
The classic daiquiri is over a century old. It was allegedly created in the town of Daiquiri in Cuba in 1898 by an American mining engineer named Jennings Cox.
The daiquiri rose to popularity in the 1940s in the United States during World War II. It was a favorite among famous writers, and was even mentioned in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel This Side of Paradise.
Since then, frozen daiquiris have become very popular, and some people may consider the daiquiri overly sweet, but the classic drink should be tart and well-balanced.
The reason this drink is so popular is that it can be adjusted to personal taste, and most bars serve it overly sweet. Bottled versions are likewise sugar bombs that no self-respecting bar should have available. It’s much better made from scratch.
How to Make It
Follow this recipe to make your own daiquiri at home or at the bar.
Daiquiri
Learn how to make the classic daiquiri - and be sure to use a high quality rum!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz light rum
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3/4 oz demerara syrup
Instructions
- Pour rum, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass or coupe glass.
- If you find it too tart, add just a bit more simple syrup. If it's too sweet, add more lime or cut your simple syrup by a teaspoon or two.
How to Drink It
This is designed to be a neat drink (no ice), and it’s fairly strong. That’s one reason it’s important to use top-quality ingredients and make it carefully. If you do, you’ll be happy to sip it. If you don’t, or you make it too sweet, it’s very easy for this one to sneak up on you.
Top-Shelf Flavor
This drink is like other rum drinks, such as the mojito, in some ways. All play on the way rum goes so well with sweet and sour, but all have their own special flair. The drink highlighted here is the simplest of them all, and that means quality is important.
Because there isn’t much to this drink in terms of ingredients, it’s vitally important that you get the best ingredients for the best experience. You need lime juice, but don’t just buy lime juice. Get fresh limes and squeeze them yourself.
Try making your own simple syrup using raw sugar in a two-to-one ratio with water. You’ll be shocked at the flavor profile raw sugar brings to the drink. Finally, don’t grab the cheapest bottle of rum you can find. Go for something elegant and complex.
Variations
The obvious, of course, is the frozen version.
Toss all the ingredients into a blender full of ice. Even more popular as a frozen version is the strawberry frozen version, which adds three or four large strawberries to the blender. If you want the strawberry version unfrozen, slice up the strawberries and muddle/crush them thoroughly.
For a more elegant twist, try a rhubarb-rosemary version. To make this, reduce your lime juice to .25 oz, don’t add simple syrup, and add a half-ounce of rosemary syrup and .75 oz of rhubarb juice.
Whether you like it classic or prefer a variation, be sure to use the best ingredients for this classic drink.
FAQ
What is a classic daiquiri made of?
A classic daiquiri is made with light rum, lime juice, and simple syrup for a light and refreshing cocktail.
What is a Hemingway daiquiri vs classic daiquiri?
The Hemingway daiquiri is a variation that adds some grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur to the cocktail. Hemingway liked this drink without the simple syrup, but if you like it sweeter, you can keep the simple syrup in the recipe.
What is a daiquiri on the rocks?
A classic daiquiri is usually served straight-up, shaken with ice to chill it but not served with ice. A daiquiri on the rocks is served over ice.
Delicious!