Cuban Daiquiri (Daiquirí)
The original Havana cocktail: white rum, fresh lime juice and a touch of sugar, shaken hard with ice until icy, silky and perfectly balanced. No blender, no fruit purée, just three ingredients done right.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Make the syrup
In a small pan, warm the sugar and water over low heat just until the sugar fully dissolves into a clear syrup, about 1 minute. Let it cool to room temperature before using; any extra keeps well in the fridge for later drinks.
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp water
✅ Done when: the syrup looks clear with no visible sugar grains
Squeeze the lime
Cut limes and squeeze the juice by hand or with a citrus press, then strain it through a small sieve to remove seeds and pulp. Fresh juice is essential here; bottled juice tastes flat and won't give the right sharpness.
- 25 ml fresh lime juice
✅ Done when: you have clean, strained lime juice with no seeds
Chill the glass
Put a coupe or small cocktail glass in the freezer for a few minutes while you prepare everything else. A properly chilled glass keeps the daiquiri cold for longer once poured.
✅ Done when: the glass feels icy cold to the touch
Shake hard with ice
Fill a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice, then add the rum, strained lime juice and the cooled syrup. Shake hard for about 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker frosts over and feels painfully cold; this is what gives a daiquiri its silky, slightly foamy texture.
- 60 ml white rum
- 25 ml lime juice (from step 2)
- 15 ml cooled syrup (from step 1)
- plenty ice
✅ Done when: the shaker is frosted and ice-cold to hold
Double strain
Strain the drink into the chilled glass through both the shaker's strainer and a small fine mesh strainer held over the glass, to catch any tiny ice shards and keep the drink perfectly smooth.
✅ Done when: the glass is full of a clear, pale, frothy-topped drink with no ice chips
Garnish and serve
Add a lime wheel or twist if you like, and serve immediately while it's still icy; a daiquiri loses its chill and balance quickly, so this is a drink made to order, not ahead of time.
- 1 lime wheel or twist
Make the syrup
In a small pan, warm the sugar and water over low heat just until the sugar fully dissolves into a clear syrup, about 1 minute. Let it cool to room temperature before using; any extra keeps well in the fridge for later drinks.
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp water
✅ Done when: the syrup looks clear with no visible sugar grains
Squeeze the lime
Cut limes and squeeze the juice by hand or with a citrus press, then strain it through a small sieve to remove seeds and pulp. Fresh juice is essential here; bottled juice tastes flat and won't give the right sharpness.
- 25 ml fresh lime juice
✅ Done when: you have clean, strained lime juice with no seeds
Chill the glass
Put a coupe or small cocktail glass in the freezer for a few minutes while you prepare everything else. A properly chilled glass keeps the daiquiri cold for longer once poured.
✅ Done when: the glass feels icy cold to the touch
Shake hard with ice
Fill a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice, then add the rum, strained lime juice and the cooled syrup. Shake hard for about 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker frosts over and feels painfully cold; this is what gives a daiquiri its silky, slightly foamy texture.
- 60 ml white rum
- 25 ml lime juice (from step 2)
- 15 ml cooled syrup (from step 1)
- plenty ice
✅ Done when: the shaker is frosted and ice-cold to hold
Double strain
Strain the drink into the chilled glass through both the shaker's strainer and a small fine mesh strainer held over the glass, to catch any tiny ice shards and keep the drink perfectly smooth.
✅ Done when: the glass is full of a clear, pale, frothy-topped drink with no ice chips
Garnish and serve
Add a lime wheel or twist if you like, and serve immediately while it's still icy; a daiquiri loses its chill and balance quickly, so this is a drink made to order, not ahead of time.
- 1 lime wheel or twist
The Story Behind the Dish
The drink takes its name from Daiquirí, a small port town on Cuba's eastern coast, where early versions mixing rum, lime and sugar were served to workers and sailors. The cocktail travelled to Havana, where bartenders refined it into the clean, three-ingredient drink known today.
It became famous above all at El Floridita bar in Havana, where bartender Constantino Ribalaigua perfected his version in the early 20th century, serving it to a steady stream of regulars that later included Ernest Hemingway.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It proved that a cocktail needs no more than good rum, fresh lime and a little sugar, shaken until icy, to be unforgettable.
💡 Fun Fact
At El Floridita, a life-size bronze statue of Ernest Hemingway still leans against the end of the bar, marking his favorite spot, and a daiquiri variation on the menu bears his name.
Havana, Cuba
23.11°N, -82.37°W
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