Rum

Rum Daiquiri

This is the essential pirate cocktail. The holy grail of rum drinks. 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 drink 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 a cocktail coupe glass. 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 like Brugal’s Anejo or Extra Viejo. Anything darker is 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!

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!

Artichoke Hold

Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well, serve on the rocks and garnish with a sprig of mint.

• .75 ounces Jamaican rum (I used Smith & Cross, but you could try Appleton Estates or some other funky, aged Jamaican)
• .75 ounces Cynar
• .5 ounce of St. Germain
• .5 ounce of orgeat syrup
• .75 ounces of fresh lime juice
• Dash of Bittermens tiki bitters

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 English style amber/dark rum (the original calls for Hamilton Princess Single Barrel Reserve)
• 1 ounce of Goslings Black Seal Rum
• a half ounce of fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce of Grand Marnier.
• .25 oz of simple syrup
• Add ice and shake until cold. Strain and poor over fresh ice or up with a lemon twist.

El Presidente

Here’s a good Cuban drink for cooler temperatures. Described as “the only elegant, spirit forward Cuban cocktail”.

• 1.5 oz. of lightly aged rum
• 3/4 oz. vermouth de Chambery
• 1/2 oz. dry curaçao
• 1 bar spoon grenadine
• Orange peel and maraschino cherry
• Stir all ingredients except orange peel and cherry with ice until chilled. Stain into coupe glass add orange and cherry.

To make your own homemade grenadine; in sauce pan add 1.5 cups of sugar and 1 cup pomegranate juice, bring to cusp of boil then remove from heat. Add 1 orange peel and a 1/2 bar spoon of orange flower water. Refrigerate.

Classic Mai Tai (Trader Vic’s 1944 version)

Skip the fruit juice, this is how a real Mai Tai is made. In a shaker:

• 1 oz aged Jamaican rum
• 1 oz rhum agricole
• 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz orgeat syrup
• 1/2 oz orange curacao

Pour into an old fashioned glass over crushed ice. Garnish with a spent lime shell and sprig of mint.

Corn ‘n’ Oil

A tiki classic.

• 2 oz Blackstrap rum (like Cruzan Blackstrap)
• 0.5 oz to .75 oz Velvet Falernum
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• Lime wedge

Fill a rocks glass with crushed ice. Add Velvet Falernum and bitters. Pour the rum on top (float it for extra points). Stir gently before you enjoy… the layering is purely for presentation! Garnish with a lime.

The Zombie (aka Why You Shouldn’t Text Your Ex)

A tiki classic that packs a punch!

• 1.5 oz light rum
• 1.5 oz dark rum
• 1 oz of lime juice
• 0.5 oz apricot brandy
• 0.25 oz grenadine
• Dash of Angostura bitters
• Floater of overproof rum on top (for drama)

Mix all the ingredients into a shaker with ice. Strain into a tall glass with crushed ice. Float the overproof rum on top. Garnish with a cherry, and sprig of mint. Warn guests that it’s called a ‘Zombie’ for a reason.