The House Daiquiri
Not quite Hemingway's, but pretty close
To be honest, I knew this was the right answer last week. But it felt a little basic and boring so I tried to talk myself out of it. But it’s just the better drink, and I can’t deny that. Here’s my house daiquiri:
2 oz Diplomatico Planas
1 oz Simple Syrup
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.5 oz Maraschino Liqueur
This gives you quite a long drink (at least 5 oz after you shake it) at the lowest ABV of any house cocktail yet. It’s absolutely perfect for a hot afternoon. It’s also a sneaky-good brunch drink…
I want to give a bit more clarity on why this is the best option and what tipped the scales for me:
Why Diplomatico Planas
Between the 2 “rum” options, this was by far the less interesting. But because of that, the core rum flavors come through more clearly in the cocktail. With Uruapas, the funkiness from the “agricole” style in the mash was always the first note that came through in a drink.
It’s super interesting, but it’s not “tropical” in the way I want the spirit base of a Daiquiri to be. That dominating flavor got in the way and made for a less interesting drink overall. Planas is very middle-of-the-road, but it delivers on the classic notes and plays very nicely with the other ingredients.
Why Maraschino
I think the main reason is that it’s clear where the other liqueurs were not. Even beyond the flavor, the experience of a darker drink was sensorially strange when you expect a Daiquiri. The clear liqueur keeps expectations in-check before you even taste the cocktail.
And when you do taste it, you don’t know exactly what’s making it unique at first. The Maraschino adds a light nuttiness to the finish that makes you want to immediately take another sip and figure it out. That’s fun, and it’s the right kind of modification for me - it’s not here to take over, it’s more like an easter egg.
Next Up: Margaritas!
Time to stock up on tequila…