The Classic Daiquiri
The classic daiquiri began as a simple cocktail in Santiago, Cuba, but the following 125 years were not kind. Flavored and frozen daiquiris changed their perception, turning them into maligned and ignored cocktails. At the same time, the growing popularity of vodka, gin and whiskies pushed daiquiris and rum cocktails aside.
Secrets of the Classic Daiquiri
An original daiquiri is still delicious today, if made properly to balance the rum with the sugar and tart lime. There are dizzying choices of rum from light to dark and ultra-sweet to light and balanced. Choose wisely, because a syrupy sweet rum will overpower everything, turning it into kool-aid. Like Goldilocks and the porridge, it’s important to pick the right one.
You must also choose between several sugar choices. White granulated is obvious, but there is brown and demerara available. Again, we check for sweetness and flavor, so I recommend demerara. It retains a hint of molasses and isn’t quite as sweet as others.
Finally, we only use freshly squeezed lime juice, because it lends an intense bright flavor to our finished cocktail. You don’t have to travel to the Caribbean to enjoy this perfect sipper. Make it at home and dream of white sand beaches and palm trees swaying in the breeze.
Ingredients
- 2 oz light rum
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 3/4 oz demerara sugar syrup
- Lime twist – garnish
Instructions
- Make the simple syrup with a 50/50 mix of sugar and water
- Combine it over low heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved
- Let it cool before use and chillĀ your coupe or cocktail glass
- Combine all your ingredients in a shaker and shake for about 30 seconds to thoroughly chill
- Strain, pour and garnish with a twist of lime
