As one of the most notable rum cocktails that’s recognised and beloved all around the world, the classic Daiquiri is a drink that we believe everyone needs to experience!
Simple to make and utterly delicious, the sweet and sour flavours of the Daiquiri make it a huge hit during the summer months as it’s an extremely refreshing cocktail...although we think it can also be enjoyed all year round, no matter the weather. To celebrate the wonderful Daiquiri, we’ve put together this complete guide which includes its history and some of the best variations available.
The History of the Daiquiri
While it’s usually tricky to learn the truth about where most vintage cocktails came from, the history of the Daiquiri is clear and even documented! Following the American-Spanish war of 1898, an American engineer, Jennings Cox, came to the small town of Daiquiri in Cuba for work.
Of course, working in the mines in Cuba was a fairly dangerous occupation, so all the engineers received a substantial salary and generous tobacco rations. But, Cox also requested that they received monthly rations of local rum too. He then began to experiment, mixing the rum with the ingredients he had available to finally invent the very first Daiquiri! The original cocktail, with its ingredients and name, were then all recorded in Cox’s personal diary.
The Daiquiri remained a Cuban speciality until 1909 when Admiral Lucius W. Johnson came over from America to visit different places of the American-Cuban War. He stopped off in Daiquiri, where Cox still resided and tried his delicious cocktail. Johnson loved it so much he brought it back to America and introduced it to the Army and Navy Club.
Over the space of a few decades, many bartenders in America got their hands on the Daiquiri recipe and added their own twists to it. The drink soared in popularity and it even became the favourite tipple of Ernest Hemmingway, who is said to have put away 15 frozen daiquiris in one sitting, and
President John F. Kennedy who sipped on Daiquiris when he beat Nixon in the 1960 election.
Nowadays, you can easily walk into any bar in any country and ask for a Daiquiri, confident that you’ll be getting a wonderfully tasty and refreshing cocktail!
How to Make a Daiquiri
One of the reasons why a Daiquiri is so popular is because it contains just 3 simple ingredients, making it extremely easy to make at home or for bartenders to whip up super quickly. White rum, simple syrup and lime juice are all you need for this classic cocktail. It is then typically garnished with half a lime slice to help make it extra refreshing.
Our ready-to-drink Daiquiri cocktail combines Pampero Rum Blanco, Organic Citric Acid, Toschi Liquid Sugar and a dash of water for a smooth-sipping, mouth-watering, perfectly balanced cocktail with a real kick to it. Perfect to enjoy in the comfort of your own home or while lounging in the garden on those hot, summer days.
What are the Different Daiquiri Variations?
As the Daiquiri is such a simple drink, many cocktail connoisseurs and bartenders have added extra ingredients to jazz it up. There are hundreds of different variations of the classic Daiquiri and while you can’t beat a classic, here are some of our favourite versions:
- Frozen Daiquiri - for a classic frozen Daiquiri, perfect to cool you down in the summer, simply blend rum, lime juice, simple syrup and ice in a mixer until it has a slushy consistency.
- Strawberry Daiquiri - arguably the most popular variation, the strawberry daiquiri can be enjoyed either frozen or shaken. For this, you’ll need to blend rum, lime juice, simple syrup, ice and sliced strawberries. You may then want a couple of extra strawberries to garnish with.
- Pink Daiquiri - perfect for hen parties or a girl’s night in, the pink Daiquiri combines rum, Maraschino liqueur, grenadine, lime juice and sugar syrup for a fun and glamorous cocktail.
- Hemingway Daiquiri - as we mentioned earlier, Hemingway loved a Daiquiri, so much so a bartender spruced the original recipe up and named it after the famous writer. This version contains maraschino liqueur and grapefruit juice along with the original ingredients of rum, lime juice and simple syrup.
- Banana Daiquiri - indulging in a banana Daiquiri at home will no doubt make you feel like you're wandering along the white sands of a Cuban beach. Combining bananas, rum, lime juice, triple sec and simple syrup in a blender until smooth this delightful cocktail is a real treat. You can also blend ice with it for a frozen banana Daiquiri.
Take a look at some of our other ready-made cocktails we have to offer and build your own cocktail box full of your favourite, refreshing drinks.
Wondering what ice to use in your cocktails? Have a read of the 6 different types of ice for cocktails and learn how you can enhance your drinks!