Cocktails › Classics › Classic Daiquiri
Classic Daiquiri
ClassicShaken5 Min
Yield: 1 Cocktail
Three ingredients, ice, and nerve. A proper Daiquiri is bright and clean, with rum in charge and lime pulling it taut. It looks simple because it is, and that is exactly why every detail counts.
Rum
2oz / 60ml
Lime
1oz / 30ml
Syrup
0.5oz / 15ml
Ingredients
- 2oz (60ml) white rum
- 1oz (30ml) fresh lime juice
- 0.5oz (15ml) simple syrup
- A pinch of fine salt, optional
- Lime wheel, for garnish
- Plenty of fresh ice
Method
- Chill a coupe glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water while you work.
- Add rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and the salt if using, to a shaker with plenty of ice.
- Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds until the shaker is frosty and the drink is well chilled.
- Empty the coupe, strain the drink into it, and garnish with the lime wheel.
Tip: Taste the mix before you shake. Limes vary, so add a touch more syrup if the juice is especially sharp, or a touch more lime if the mix tastes flat.
Variations
- Hemingway Daiquiri. Add half an ounce of grapefruit juice and a quarter ounce of maraschino liqueur, and leave out the syrup. Tart, dry, and complex.
- Frozen Daiquiri. Blend everything with a cup of crushed ice until smooth and frosty. Serve in a chilled coupe and drink it while it is still slushy at the edges.
Questions
What rum works best in a Daiquiri?
A clean white rum with some character is the classic call. Pick one you would happily sip on its own, because there is nowhere for a rough bottle to hide.
Should a Daiquiri be frozen?
The classic is shaken and served straight up, never blended. A frozen version is a fine drink in its own right, but the shaken original is brighter and more precise.