As bartenders return in their droves to the Daiquiri’s simple-yet-enduring roots, it’s all too easy to dismiss the later, more flamboyant iterations of this Cuban classic that defined its late twentieth-century profile. There'll always be a place on every high-end bar menu for this sublime blend of rum, lime and sugar that kickstarted a classic, but it’s certainly worth checking out contemporary variations on the theme, too.
Florida Daiquiri
Good old Ernest Hemingway – never met a drink he didn’t like. He consumed his fair share of Daiquiris during his time in Cuba; so much so that a bartender created his own special, version – the Papa Doble – adding a splash of grapefruit juice and a dash of maraschino liqueur to a super-charged rum, lime and syrup base. It’s a neat twist on the classic recipe, but we’d recommend sticking to this version which contains a more manageable 50ml measure of rum.
Honey Daiquiri
In this sweet and fragrant Daiquiri, you replace the sugar syrup with a honey syrup (made with three parts of honey to one part water) – orange blossom honey is a particularly effective choice. Shake a double measure of light golden rum with 20ml of honey syrup, ice and a splash each of lime juice and orange juice. Strain into a chilled Martini glass.
Strawberry Daiquiri
This cocktail is summer in a glass. You can make your own from scratch by pureeing a punnet of strawberries in a blender (sieving to remove the seeds), before combining with a good amount of ice, a couple of measures of white rum, sugar syrup and lime juice. Or you can take the easy-but-just-as-delish option by shaking a bottle of Edmunds ready-to-serve Strawberry Daiquiri with ice and simply pouring into a glass.
Banana Daiquiri
An altogether more substantial cocktail, the Banana Daiquiri has a Piña-Colada-like consistency and a similar vacation vibe. It’s simple to make, though. Blend equal measures of white rum, Jamaican rum and banana liqueur with a banana, some sugar syrup (demerara for preference), lime juice and ice till smooth. Serve the resulting soft-textured cocktail in a hurricane glass with a straw.
Dry Daiquiri
Originally created by Kevin Armstrong at the Match Bar in London, this ultra-sophisticated cocktail is the perfect urban appetiser. A splash of Campari adds a welcome bitter note to the rum and lime, while a balancing dash of passionfruit liqueur brings a kiss of sweetness. Shake with ice till thoroughly chilled and serve with a twist of orange.
