The Daiquiri is the perfect cocktail to enjoy white rum

White rum, lime juice, and sugar - all you need for a beauitful classic cocktail

By Georgina Torbet Published July 19, 2024

A daiquiri cocktail — Dan Baker / The Manual/Dan Baker

When the weather is warm, it’s time for rum to shine. And as today is National Daiquiri Day, it’s the ideal time to try out this classic cocktail.

Although many rum drinks are on the sweeter and more tropical side, there are other characteristics of rum that are worth considering as well. Some rums can be highly filtered and have a very netural taste, almost like vodka, but there’s been a trend in recent years toward more robust, characterful rums which express their flavors more boldly. A good quality rum should have notes of fruit and spice, like hints of banana or clove, and a white rum should be a delicate, smooth drinking experience.

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If you’ve only had sweeter spiced rums before, then the Daiquiri is the ideal way to experience a different side of rum. Start off with the best quality white rum you can find, and make sure to use freshly squeezed lime juice. Add sugar syrup to taste, but often you’ll need less sugar than you think because the rum and citrus will both carry their own subtle sweetness.

How to make a classic Daiquiri

The recipe for a classic Daiquiri calls for:

2 parts white rum
1 part fresh lime juice
0.75 parts simple syrup

You should feel free to adjust the amount of rum to your liking, and to tweak the amount of simple syrup based on your lime juice. Juice from newer limes will be sweeter and require less sugar, while older limes will have an astringent taste that requires more sugar to balance out.

Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake well, and then strain into a couple glass. The traditional garnish is a lime wheel.

Topics

Liquor, Beer, Wine & Drinks

Georgina Torbet

Georgina Torbet is a cocktail enthusiast based in Berlin, with an ever-growing gin collection and a love for trying out new…

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That said, Wolves is finally ready to focus on building its collection of year-round flagship expressions. Surprisingly, the newest addition to the collection isn't a bourbon, rye whiskey, or some other style commonly associated with American whiskeys. It's a tribute to the whiskey-makers across the pond who came before us and are still crafting noteworthy single malt whiskies today. That's right, Wolves' first flagship expression is an American single malt whiskey.
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Aside from the drinks, a few details will help your cocktail party go with a bang

how to host cocktail party fabio alves iqcwkopiqro unsplash

If you love making your own cocktails, there are few things more fun than inviting some friends or family round for a cocktail party. Hosting is a great way to share your enthusiasm with your guests, and to try out some new and interesting drinks on a willing audience.

But drinks aside, there are some key tips to hosting a successful cocktail party that will help make your life easier and ensure your guests have a good time -- and don't forget the ice!
1. Snacks
If you're focused on your drinks, you might not give much thought to food. And most people won't expect to be served a full meal at a cocktail party. However, you do need to make sure there is something to eat, both to give your guests something to nibble on and to help soak up all the alcohol. Nuts, chips, and other small snacks are easy to throw in a bowl and put out between drinks.
2. Non alcoholic options
With increasing numbers of people opting to avoid alcohol or preferring to drink only occasionally, it's good form to have a range of non-alcoholic drinks options available too. If you're feeling ambitious you can try some non-alcoholic cocktails, but at the least have some soft drinks available in the fridge.
3. Offer a greeting drink
It's nice to provide a simple drink to guests as soon as they arrive, before you get to the harder cocktails. I like to offer a simple Prosecco drink like a Hugo or a Mimosa to people when they arrive, as it's quick and easy to make.
4. Provide water
Even for those who are drinking alcohol, it's important to have plenty of water on hand. This will help keep everyone feeling good as well as clearing the palate between drinks. Put out a large jug of ice water and a stack of glasses somewhere close by so people can help themselves.
5. Mix multiple drinks
Depending on how many guests you have coming, you may choose to pre-batch your cocktails to save on time. But if you have a smaller guest list, another option is to mix rounds of drinks together. You can easily take a cocktail recipe and double or triple it, then mix the ingredients all in one go to make multiple drinks faster. You don't want to fill your cocktail shaker too full or it can get messy, and you'll need to shake a bit longer and harder than usual to make sure your ingredients are sufficiently diluted, but this is a great way to make drinks for 4-5 people in one go.
6. Help with washing up
If you have kind friends, you might find that people offer to help out while you're making rounds of drinks. Take them up on the offer! There's no need to do everything yourself. One task which always needs to be done at a cocktail party is washing up the glasses, as you'll very quickly build up a huge pile of glasses even at a small gathering. Washing these as you go will help keep your bar space relatively clean and tidy, so set your friends to the washing up if they offer.
7. Finishing up the evening
At some point you'll begin to tire out, and that's a great time to switch to something simple to finish off the night. A round of neat whiskey for leisurely sipping is a great choice, or I also like to serve simple amaros over ice. These make a fine way to toast out an evening well spent.

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