Cocktail Atlas

Daiquiri

White rum, fresh lime and superfine sugar, shaken and served up. Three ingredients with nowhere to hide, so measure carefully.

Cocktail Atlas · Updated

Spirit
Rum
Glass
Cocktail glass
Method
Shaken
Difficulty
Beginner

Spec source: IBA official cocktail list

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Daiquiri

Ingredients

Ingredients for Daiquiri. Tick each one as you add it.
AddedMeasureIngredient
2 oz
⅔ oz
2

Steps

  1. Add the rum, lime juice and sugar to a cocktail shaker and stir to dissolve the sugar.
  2. Add ice and shake.
  3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

cocktailatlas.com/cocktail/daiquiri/

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Batch it For a party of 4–20

Makes 8 drinks, about 26¾ oz · 800 ml before ice.

Daiquiri batch
AmountIngredient
16 oz · 480 mlWhite rum
5⅓ oz · 160 mlFresh lime juice
16Bar spoons superfine sugar
5¼ oz · 160 mlCold water, for dilution (approx.)

The water stands in for the melt from shaking: about 25% for a shaken drink. It is an approximation, so taste and adjust. Chill the batch at least 2 hours and pour over fresh ice.

Fits a 1 liter bottle or carafe.

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Why it works

With three ingredients, the Daiquiri is all balance: rum for body, lime for acidity, sugar to hold the two together. Stirring the sugar in before adding ice makes sure it dissolves fully, so the drink is smooth rather than gritty. A hard shake adds air and chill, and serving it up keeps it bright and cold from first sip to last.

Substitutions

  • No superfine sugar? Use ¾ oz simple syrup instead and skip the stirring step.
  • A lightly aged rum gives more vanilla and body than a white rum.
  • Lime juice should be squeezed fresh; it loses its brightness within hours.

Variations

  • Hemingway-style: a little grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur alongside the lime.
  • Gimlet: the same sour shape with gin and lime cordial.
  • Mojito: rum, lime and sugar stretched long with mint and soda.

Questions

Is a Daiquiri a frozen drink?
Not in this spec. The classic is shaken and served up. Frozen versions blend the drink with ice and usually need more sugar.
Why stir the sugar before adding ice?
Sugar dissolves slowly in cold liquid. Stirring it into the rum and lime first keeps the texture smooth.
What rum should be used?
A clean white rum. The IBA specifies white Cuban rum; any dry, light white rum works.

Making it: Daiquiri

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