Recipe

from Jeff Berry’s research

• 2oz white Spanish-style rum (I used Flor de Caña 4 rum)
• .75oz fresh lime juice
• .67oz mineral water (or regular water is fine too)
• 1tsp brown sugar

Dissolve sugar in lime juice, then shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a flute filled with fresh crushed ice. Perfecto!

About

The daiquiri is known as the gold standard for a simple way of evaluating rum in a cocktail, as it involves only the additions of lime and sugar to really highlight the flavors of the rum. That said, the original daiquiri was actually a bit different from the modern (well made) version that’s popular today, which is generally served ice cold and strained into a cocktail coupe.

The origins of the daiquiri lie in Cuba near the town of Daiquiri, where it was rumored to have been created when an American ex-pat ran out of gin/whiskey when preparing to entertain guests, and seeked out a way to make the local rum more palatable. It was a big hit and the daiquiri was born. When the recipe was passed along and evangelized, it was actually misrepresented and so the original recipe was lost as the daiquiri took flight in popularity.

The original recipe was made with brown (instead of white) sugar, which adds an incredibly delicious complexity to the cocktail with the molasses flavors. It was also served over crushed ice in a champagne flute instead of strained in a coupe. Give it a try and I’m pretty sure you’ll find yourself quite impressed!