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Cocktail History
The Hemingway Daiquiri is a classic cocktail that was created by Constantino Ribalaigua during Prohibition at El Floridita Restaurant in Havana, Cuba. According to the story, American author Ernest Hemingway stopped in to the restaurant to use the restroom and wanted to try their Daiquiri but said he’d prefer it with double the rum and without the sugar after one taste. And so, the Hemingway Daiquiri made with white rum, lime, grapefruit, and cherry was born.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
White Rum: This is the base spirit. We used BACARDÍ Superior White Rum for its soft and sweet taste that pairs well with other ingredients without overpowering them.
Lime Juice: This adds sour citrus flavors for balance. We prefer to use fresh citrus juice because it’s less bitter than the bottled stuff and tastes better.
Grapefruit Juice: This adds tangy citrus flavors. We also used fresh grapefruit juice.
Maraschino Liqueur: This is a cherry-flavored liqueur. We used Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur for its earthy aroma and sweet, creamy cherry flavor.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with sugar and water. You can buy bottled simple syrup in a store, but we made ours at home using Alex’s recipe because it tastes better fresh and is very easy to make.
Lime Wedge: This is the garnish. It adds more fresh citrus aroma and flavor.
Tasting Notes
The Hemingway Daiquiri features aroma of citrus and maraschino and the initial taste of light rum followed by the tartness of grapefruit and lime and more cherry on the swallow.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: This is a recipe that we both love enough to drink together! We thought it was tropical and dry but not so much that Kendall, who usually enjoys sweeter beverages, didn’t enjoy it. This version of the daiquiri has since become a staple at our home bar.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.
AuthorThe Art of Vintage CocktailsPrep Time5 minsAdd rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur, simple syrup, and ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with lime wedge.
Ingredients
Directions
Add rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur, simple syrup, and ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with lime wedge.
Tools & Glassware We Recommend
More Rum Cocktails
If you like this rum-based cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
• Airmail: A gold rum cocktail made with lime juice, honey syrup, sparkling wine, and a lime peel
• Jamaican Mule: A rum cocktail made with ginger syrup, lime juice, pineapple juice, Angostura aromatic bitters, candied ginger, a lime slice, and an orchid blossom
• Mocha Rum Toddy: A rum cocktail made with coffee, dark crème de cacao, simple syrup, whipped cream, and cocoa powder
• Dark ‘N’ Stormy: A dark rum cocktail made with lime juice, ginger beer, and a lime wheel
