Three Ways to Make a Daiquiri

"The daiquiri, named after the town in Cuba it was invented in, is quite possibly the most famous three-ingredient drink, certainly the most famous rum drink. The daiquiri is the prime example that sometimes less is more. You would think this drink would be impossible to mess up, but the daiquiri relies heavily on balance.

For many, the daiquiri is used as a "litmus" test to see if the bartender is capable of making a decent drink.

Blended, shaken, flavored-I'll take a daiquiri any way I can get it. A fun way to put your own spin on a daiquiri is to use a blend of rums, like I did with the Daiquiri Inquiry. Each rum has its own unique flavor profile; by blending them together you get even more depth of flavor without adding in any more ingredients.

Pro tip: Shaking a cocktail with a piece of citrus peel is called a "regal shake." It adds a touch of bitterness and citrus oils without adding to the volume of the drink."

—Kaitlyn Stewart in her book "Three Cheers: Cocktails Three Ways: Classics, Riffs, and Zero-Proof Sips"

Each recipe makes 1 cocktail:

Classic Daiquiri

Glassware: coupe

Ingredients

2 ounces white rum

¾ ounce fresh lime juice

¾ ounce Simple Syrup (page 26)

Lime wheel, for garnish

Instructions

In a shaker tin, combine the white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. Add cubed ice and shake vigorously for 12 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lime wheel.

Daiquiri Inquiry

Glassware: Nick & Nora

Ingredients

1 ounce white rum

1 ounce rhum agricole

¾ ounce fresh lime juice

½ ounce Demerara Syrup (page 25)

1 sprig rosemary

1 grapefruit peel

2 drops Saline Solution (page 40)

Rosemary sprig and grapefruit twist, for garnish

Instructions

In a shaker tin, combine the white rum, rhum agricole, lime juice, demerara syrup, rosemary sprig, grapefruit peel, and saline solution. Add cubed ice and shake vigorously for 12 seconds. Fine-strain into a Nick & Nora glass and garnish with a rosemary sprig and grapefruit twist.

Destination Daiquiri

Glassware: rocks

Ingredients

1½ ounces Seedlip Grove 42

nonalcoholic spirit

½ fresh passion fruit seeds

½ ounce fresh lime juice

¾ ounce Simple Syrup (page 26)

Passion fruit half and a mint sprig

Instructions

In a shaker tin, combine the Seedlip Grove, passion fruit seeds, lime juice, and simple syrup. Add cubed ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Fine-strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

Garnish with half of a passion fruit and mint sprig.