Classic Daiquiri

Forget about the ubiquitous frozen drink served at swim-up bars and on cruise ships. This daiquiri recipe keeps it classy. When mixed properly, three simple ingredients—rum, lime juice, and simple syrup—can create a transcendent experience. The resulting classic cocktail is a light, refreshing, and even bracing (in a good way) sip for leisurely evenings spent alfresco. The drink has origins dating back to 1890s Cuba, but it really thrived in Havana in the 1930s during U.S. Prohibition. During that time, Ernest Hemingway spent much of his time drinking daiquiris at the El Floridita bar. He even earned a namesake version of the summer cocktail, a Hemingway Daiquiri, appended with grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur.

For this classic daiquiri, you’ll just need the basics. Most of the daiquiris you’ve had at bars were likely made with Bacardi white rum. Opt for a blended rum such as Banks 5 Island for a drink with greater depth, or choose an aged rum, such as Angostura 1919, for a touch of caramel-like richness. Fresh lime juice (squeezed, not bottled!) is essential, and we prefer our sugar syrup shaken, not boiled. Shake the drink vigorously in a cocktail shaker, strain into a chilled coupe glass or Nick and Nora, and garnish with a lime twist. (And if it is a frozen daiquiri you want, we’ve got a great version of that too.)