Daiquiris are classic rum cocktails that use three main ingredients to create a perfect balance of sweet and sour: rum, citrus juice (most often lime), and sweetener. They’re traditionally served in a cocktail glass without ice.
Daiquiris can come in all sorts of flavors—from strawberry to avocado—but the most basic (and the original) is called simply the classic daiquiri.
Learn From the Best
History of the Classic Daiquiri
The first record of a daiquiri-like drink is grog, a rum-and-citrus concoction British sailors drank in the 1780s during Caribbean voyages to prevent scurvy.
More recently, the daiquiri as we know it originated in Cuba in the early 1900s, supposedly created by American engineer Jennings Cox, who worked at the Daiquirí mine during the Spanish-American War. Daiquiris were sometimes served over ice in frosted tall glasses, or shaken and poured into chilled coupe glasses, but daiquiris are now mostly served in cocktail glasses or martini glasses.
Daiquiris were mostly popular in Navy clubs and other sailor-specific venues, because rum was popular with sailors. The drink hit the mainstream in the 1940s during World War II, when whiskey and vodka were rationed and rum evolved from a liquor drunk mostly by sailors into a popular cocktail base.
3 Variations on the Classic Daiquiri
- 1. Flavored daiquiris. Daiquiris are a great blank canvas to add other flavors to. Popular flavored include strawberry daiquiris, banana daiquiris, blueberry daiquiris, and avocado daiquiris. Learn how to make a strawberry daiquiri with our recipe here.
- 2. Hemingway daiquiri. The Hemingway daiquiri includes a bit of grapefruit juice along with the lime and maraschino liqueur is used instead of simple syrup. The Hemingway daiquiri is so-named because it was a favorite drink of the writer Ernest Hemingway. Find our recipe for the Hemingway daiquiri here.
- 3. Frozen daiquiris. Frozen daiquiris are a popular summer drink made with well-crushed ice and have a consistency similar to smoothies.
Classic Daiquiri Cocktail Recipe
makes
1 cocktailprep time
3 mintotal time
3 minIngredients
- 1
Pour the rum, lime juice, and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker with lots of ice.
- 2
Shake until everything is well-chilled.
- 3
Pour the mixture through a strainer into a chilled cocktail glass.
- 4
Garnish with a lime rind curled into a twist, if desired. Serve cold.
Learn more about mixology from award-winning bartenders. Refine your palate, explore the world of spirits, and shake up the perfect cocktail for your next gathering with the MasterClass Annual Membership.
Hand-Shaken Strawberry Daiquiri Cocktail Recipe
Mar 18, 2020
Pineapple Daiquiri Recipe: How to Make a Pineapple Daiquiri
Mar 23, 2022
Mango Daiquiri Recipe: How to Make a Mango Daiquiri
Mar 22, 2022
Classic Hemingway Daiquiri Recipe
Apr 16, 2020
Stirred or Shaken? When to Shake and When to Stir a Cocktail
Mar 20, 2020
Classic Gimlet Cocktail Recipe
Mar 18, 2020
Other articles
Easy Watermelon Daiquiri Recipe
Mar 28, 2022
Strawberry Piña Colada Recipe With Pineapple Wedges
Apr 6, 2022
Easy Key Lime Martini Recipe
Mar 18, 2022
Sea Breeze Cocktail Recipe: How to Make a Sea Breeze
Mar 19, 2020
Lemon Drop Martini Recipe: How to Make a Lemon Drop
May 12, 2022
How to Make a Caipirinha: Classic Caipirinha Recipe
Mar 19, 2020