Famously associated with Hemingway and the jet-set glamour of pre-embargo Cuba, the daiquiri is a storied drink that’s been riffed upon practically since its creation.
And it’s no surprise. With its simple blueprint of rum, lime and sweetener, it’s an easy template upon which to build. Take for example the most classic variations—labeled numerically as Daiquiris No. 1, 2 and 3—which call on alternate sweeteners and citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit and maraschino liqueur‚ for example)—or Trader Vic’s original tiki-inspired version, which sees the addition of spiced falernum. In the modern canon of daiquiris, bartenders might swap out the rum entirely, or add in modifiers that turn the summer classic into a suitable year-round bar call (using pomegranate or PX sherry).
Here, a selection of daiquiris—from the original Hemingway favorite to a cinnamon-laced, winter-ready riff—that prove why this classic cocktail remains a fixture on drink lists on both sides of the Florida Straights.
Classic
Daiquiri
Cuba’s rum sour.
Daiquiri No. 2
The OG plus OJ.
Hemingway Daiquiri
Grapefruit meets maraschino.
Key Lime Daiquiri
America’s original lime.
Fruity
Paddington
The Havana favorite by way of London.
La Bomba Daiquiri
Bright, fruity and not too sweet.
Joggling Board
Lillet rosé all day.
Royal Bermuda Yacht Club
A tiki take on the classic.
Wildcard
Hemingway in Europe
Funky, malty, rum-less and tart.
Davy Jones’s Locker
Cinnamon-laced, winter-ready.
Sesame Daiquiri
Rich and nutty.
Corduroy Daiquiri
The classic in a winter coat.
PX Daiquiri
Sherry baby.