Daiquiri

Daiquiri

There is only one basic recipe for making a Daiquiri.  Rum, lime juice and sweetener.  You can go into aged rum (this has yielded some fine Daiquiris for me), syrup instead of sugar and fancy garnishes. 

But sometimes it is refreshing to go back to the beginning - to the original, stripped down Daiquiri in all it's thirst quenching glory.  That would be white rum (possibly aged for a short time), lime juice and sugar.  This is the prehistoric or Old School Daiquiri - no syrup (that came later, but if you must use 1 1/4 tsp 1:1 strength simple syrup).  Also, no strawberries, no bananas, no sour mix, no dragons or their berries.

You have something tart but balanced enough to keep you thirsting for another sip.  With only a scant teaspoon of sugar there is a residual sweetness (helped slightly by the rum) that tames the lime juice partially, leaving enough citrus snap to clear the palate for the next sip.  You are leagues ahead of the gilded, gaudy monstrosities spawned in chain restaurant marketing rooms and found on those glossy laminated menus that stand up all by themselves.

What's the best rum for Daiquiris?

The answer to this question for me boils down to what kind of mood am I in?  Most often, a light rum is used to make a Daiquiri.  If I want something clean and refreshing then light rum it is.  My favorite "white" rum at the moment is Probitas which is actually a blend of rums from two different Caribbean islands, Foursquare from Barbados and Hampden from Jamaica.  This is a white rum with a ton of character, something you would have drunk in the first half of the Twentieth Century before white rums lost their flavor al la Bacardi. 

If I feel like something with more body, a little heavier, then aged rum is the way to go.  Barbancourt 5 Star makes a fantastic Daiquiri.  If you want to get a little smoky and leathery try a Demerara rum.  I am sipping one now with Hampden Estate 46% rum and oh my it is good, though with an aged, funky rum, I like to up the sugar to close to a full teaspoon. 

It's really a personal matter for the drinker as to which rum to use.  Don't be afraid to experiment.

One of my favorite variations is a Daiquiri with Benefits which is made thusly:

• 2 oz Rhum Agricole
• 1 oz lime juice
• 2 tsp cane syrup 2:1
• 1/4 oz Batavia Arrack

The arrack adds a pleasant funkiness to the already interesting agricole rum.  There is a lot going on in your cocktail glass if you make one of these.

Let us know how you make your Daiquiris and what variations you have tried.