Three ingredients, a shaker and ice: the Daiquiri recipe is the perfect demonstration that a great cocktail depends on balance more than complexity. Born in Cuba at the very start of the twentieth century, near the Daiquirí mine not far from Santiago according to tradition, it combines the roundness of white rum, the acidity of lime and just enough sugar. Served very cold in a coupe, it is a lively, refreshing aperitif, and an excellent exercise for learning to measure and to shake.
Ingredients
- 60 ml white rum
- 20 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
- 15 ml sugar syrup
- Very cold ice cubes
- A thin lime wheel or a lime twist (optional)
The tools
Method
- Put the coupe in the freezer for about ten minutes, or fill it with ice and water while you prepare the drink.
- Squeeze the lime at the last moment: fresh juice makes all the difference in such a simple cocktail.
- Pour the rum, lime juice and syrup into the small tin of the shaker, measuring each ingredient with the jigger.
- Fill two thirds with ice, close the shaker and shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds, until the metal is frosted.
- Empty the coupe, then strain the cocktail through the Hawthorne strainer with the fine strainer held underneath, to hold back ice shards.
- Serve at once, plain or with a lime twist.
If you are new to the Boston shaker, our complete guide to the cocktail shaker explains the technique, the capacity and straining. All our models are together in the Boston Shakers section.
The bartender’s tip
Taste your first Daiquiri, then adjust: depending on the rum and the acidity of the limes, you can easily go from 15 to 20 ml of syrup. Write down your settings, because a good Daiquiri is a matter of a few millilitres. Double straining is not essential, but it gives a silkier texture, with no ice fragments on the surface.
Variations
The Daiquiri has inspired many variations. The Hemingway Daiquiri, associated with the El Floridita bar in Havana, adds grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur. The frozen version, blended with crushed ice, is more of a summer drink. For an alcohol-free version, replace the rum with a lightly sweetened cold-brewed black tea: the sweet and sour balance stays the same. And if you like sours, try our Whisky Sour, built on the same logic.
Please drink responsibly. Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health.
