Summer is upon us. It’s time to put away the whiskey and break out the quintessential pirate drink… RUM.
Like it’s landlubber cousin whiskey, the world of rum is vast. There are light rums, dark rums, spiced rums, rums aged in various casks (e.g. sherry casks). There are rums made in the English style, Spanish style and in the French style (often labeled Rhum). Basically there are a lot of rums to choose from, so where to get started?
One way would be to provide you with a scholarly dissertation of the history of rum. We could talk of its origins, the influence of the various colonial powers, the difference between using cane sugar vs. molasses… but let’s be honest, who has the time. I think the best way is to simply jump in and get started cocktailing. And what better way to start than with the essential pirate cocktail, the holy grail of rum drinks… the daiquiri.
What the Martini is to gin or the Old-Fashioned is to bourbon, the Daiquiri is to rum. The origins of the Daiquiri are unclear, but adding lime and sugar to the British sailor’s rum ration (to prevent scurvy) is probably where it all started. Over the years the Daiquiri has been much abused. To which, when I say Daiquiri, if you immediately think of a frozen drink or reflexively reach for a blender, STOP, go no further. Please log off and leave this site. You are not a pirate.
The original rum Daiquiri is not a frosty foo foo drink served out of a slushie machine! It is a simple, yet elegant cocktail that has three basic ingredients; rum, lime juice and simple syrup. Finding the right rum and achieving the right balance between these ingredients is where the art and science of mixology comes into play. The basic steps to make a Daiquiri are as follows.
Put the following into a cocktail shaker;
- 2 ounces of rum
- 3/4 ounce of fresh lime juice
- 1/2 ounce of simple syrup and ice
- Shake vigorously and pour into your glass of choice (a coupe glass is a nice touch). Garnish with a lime wheel.
Note, the instructions above are like the Pirate’s Code in the “Curse of the Black Pearl”, they are more like a guideline than an actual rule. First, what is the right type of rum? A classic Daiquiri calls for light rum, however I prefer to use an aged rum. Dark rum can sometimes be too overpowering and anything lighter tends to lack character. But the rum you choose is critical as it will affect how much simple syrup to use. Generally speaking, the darker the rum, the less sugar you need. Adjusting the lime juice is a matter of taste, but certain rums will stand up to the citrus better than others. In the end, when you find the right rum and have perfected your portions, you will feel like you have found buried treasure!
Some of my favorite rums to use in a daquiri are; Brugal Anejo, Papa’s Pilar Blonde, Plantation’s Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple and Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva.
Pineapple Daiquiri
- 3 oz. Plantation Rum Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple
- 1/2 oz. simple syrup
- juice from half of a medium size lime (about 3/4 oz.)
- Shake with ice in a cocktail mixer, pour into glass or serve neat with a slice of lime
Hemmingway Daiquiri
Created at the Floradita Bar in Cuba for the author himself, this is nice twist on the classic rum drink. In a cocktail shaker add;
- 2 ounces of light rum
- 3/4 ounce of lime juice
- 1/2 ounce of grapefruit juice
- 1/2 ounce of Luxardo Maraschino liqueur (this replaces the simple syrup) and ice.
- Shake until chilled and then strain into a cocktail coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel. Now go write a book!
That Was Good!
Yet another twist on the daiquiri, this is of my own invention.
- 1.5 oz. of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
- .5 oz. of Myer’s Dark Rum
- .25 oz. of Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
- .5 oz. of simple syrup
- .75 oz. of fresh lime juice (about half of a medium sized lime)
- Mix ingredients in a shaker with ice, serve with lime garnish
Royal Hamilton Yacht Club
I watched the sun set over Hamilton Harbour in Bermuda drinking one of these tasty cocktails. The original recipe uses native Bermudan rums which aren’t readily available, so here’s a poor man’s version.
- In a shaker add 1 ounce of amber/dark rum (the original calls for Hamilton Princess Single Barrel Reserve)
- 1 ounce of Goslings Black Seal Rum
- a half to 3/4 ounce of fresh lime juice
- a half to 3/4 ounce of Grand Marnier.
- Add ice and shake until cold. Strain and poor over fresh ice or up with a lemon twist.
Pyrate Bar 