Daiquiri

The daiquiri is a classic cocktail made with rum, lime juice, and sugar or another sweetener.

The daiquiri is a classic cocktail made with rum, lime juice, and sugar or another sweetener. It is generally associated with Cuba and is commonly served shaken and chilled, often in a coupe or cocktail glass. The drink is one of the best-known rum cocktails and is part of the sour family.

History

The daiquiri is widely credited to Jennings Stockton Cox, an American engineer working near Daiquirí, Cuba, around the turn of the 20th century. Its name is generally said to come from the nearby town of Daiquirí, and the drink became closely associated with Cuban cocktail culture.

Ingredients and preparation

The classic daiquiri is a simple mixture of rum, lime juice, and sugar or simple syrup. It is usually shaken with ice and served chilled, although later frozen and flavoured variants became especially popular in some places.

Cultural significance

The daiquiri is a standard classic cocktail and is often cited as an important example of the sour formula. It also became strongly associated with Havana cocktail bars and with literary and travel writing about Cuba.

Variations

Over time, the name daiquiri has been applied to many drinks beyond the original recipe. Frozen strawberry and other fruit daiquiris are common modern variants, though they differ from the classic shaken cocktail.