Delicious Daiquiri, the 3 ingredient classic

I feel sorry for the daiquiri.  Somehow this delicious rum cocktail has been supplanted by its delinquent cousin the “frozen daiquiri”, the cocktail equivalent to the drunken spring breaker singing Bon Jovi karaoke.  The daiquiri is an elegant and delicious drink.  So simple, with just 3 ingredients we all keep in the house, it’s time that the “original” daiquiri makes a comeback.

I think there are a few things working against a daiquiri resurgence.  First, as we’ve discussed before, liquors and drinks are subject to the whims and trends of the day.  At the turn of this century vodkas were all the rage.  Bar menus became overrun with vodka cocktails masquerading as martinis.  Store shelves were stocked with flavor upon flavor of vodkas, which was necessary because vodka is a neutral spirit, after all.  This trend, one could argue, continues.  More recently, gins have become all the rage.  Traditional gins, craft gins, flavored gins each became the centerpiece of more bar menus.  The long-forgotten gin cocktail, aviation, became a cult favorite for mixologists everywhere.  The macroeconomics can’t be ignored.  If other spirits are taking up a bigger piece of the pie, the remaining spirits will take up a smaller piece.  This includes the delicious centerpiece to the daiquiri, rum.

The other thing working against the daiquiri is the aforementioned frozen daiquiri.  We’ve all been there.  Taking a vacation somewhere warm and tropical.  Listening to a Jimmy Buffet cover band, drinking a frozen daiquiri.  It’s nice.  I get it.  But how many of us have had an actual daiquiri?  The association of the daiquiri to a tropical frozen concoction is strong.  If it weren’t for the pandemic, I would run an experiment to see if I ordered a daiquiri at several bars how often I would get a frozen version or the original.

I think the other trend working against the daiquiri is one I’m particularly guilty.  I like a nice refreshing cocktail.  This often includes a nice fizzy drink from which I can take a nice big gulp.  The daiquiri is served up in a cocktail glass.  It’s meant to be sipped like a martini.  There is a simple solution to this, simply serve the daiquiri over the rocks and add a few ounces of soda water.  Instant refreshing long-drink, same great flavor.

Time to dust off your bottle of rum and give this original classic a try.  Cheers!