What is the difference between a daiquiri and a Hemingway Daiquiri?

A Hemingway Daiquiri adds grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur to the classic rum, lime and sugar.

Where was the Hemingway Daiquiri created?

At El Floridita (formerly La Florida) in Havana, by bartender Constantino Ribalaigua Vert.

Hemingway Daiquiri Recipe: El Floridita's Papa Doble

The old Bar Pleiades menu credited the Hemingway Daiquiri to "Constantino Ribalaigua, La Florida," and that is exactly right. The bar is now better known as El Floridita, in Old Havana, and its long-time owner and head bartender, Constantino Ribalaigua Vert, was famous for his daiquiris.

The daiquiri

The basic daiquiri, rum, lime and sugar, is named after Daiquirí, a beach and mining area near Santiago de Cuba. The usual story credits American engineers working in the iron mines there around 1900, with Jennings Cox most often named. Rum, lime and sugar had been combined in the Caribbean long before, of course, but the name stuck, and by the 1920s and 1930s Havana was famous for it.

Constantino and El Floridita

Constantino Ribalaigua turned El Floridita into one of the most celebrated bars in the world. He served a whole family of daiquiris, many blended with shaved ice, and became known as "el rey de los coteleros," the king of the cocktail makers. Visitors included writers, film stars and politicians.

Hemingway's drink

Ernest Hemingway lived in and near Havana for long stretches from the late 1930s and was a regular at El Floridita. The drink named for him is usually described as a daiquiri with grapefruit and maraschino liqueur, and in his version without sugar and with double rum, which is why it is sometimes called the Papa Doble. Today a bronze statue of Hemingway leans on the bar at El Floridita.

The Papa Doble as he is said to have drunk it is very strong and very tart. Most modern recipes balance it with a little sugar, which makes a far better drink for most people.

Ingredients

Rum: a clean, light Cuban-style white rum. Lightly aged white rums from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic or elsewhere work well.
Lime: freshly squeezed, always.
Grapefruit: fresh white or pink grapefruit juice. Pink is sweeter.
Maraschino liqueur: a clear, dry, slightly funky cherry liqueur, such as Luxardo. It is not the syrup from a jar of bright red cherries.
Sugar: a small amount of simple syrup to taste.

Technique

Shake very hard with plenty of ice and double strain into a chilled coupe. The drink should be bone-dry in feel but balanced, with the grapefruit's bitterness and the maraschino's floral note behind the lime. If you want the Floridita style, blend with crushed ice instead and serve in a chilled cocktail glass.

The original was almost undrinkable

Accounts of the 1930s Floridita version describe a drink with just a teaspoon each of grapefruit juice and maraschino, a lot of rum, lime and no added sugar, blended with ice. By the 1940s, according to Hemingway's friend A.E. Hotchner, the maraschino had shrunk to a few drops and the drink was often served as a double. That might have suited Hemingway, who reportedly avoided sugar, but most modern drinkers find it harsh. Almost every Hemingway Daiquiri served today adds more grapefruit, more maraschino and a little syrup.

The Floridita's numbered daiquiris

El Floridita served a whole series of daiquiris, numbered rather than named, with variations in sweetener and citrus: orange juice, curaçao, maraschino and grapefruit among them. The famous frozen style, blended with shaved ice, was a house specialty long before electric blenders were common in American bars.

Proportions compared

Version	Rum	Lime	Grapefruit	Maraschino	Syrup
Classic daiquiri	60 ml	22.5 ml	none	none	15 ml
Our Hemingway	60 ml	22.5 ml	15 ml	7.5 ml	5 to 7.5 ml
Drier, Papa style	75 ml	22.5 ml	15 ml	5 ml	none

Common mistakes

Too much maraschino. It is powerful and floral. More than 10 ml usually dominates.
Bottled citrus. Squeeze lime and grapefruit fresh, ideally within a few hours of serving.
Heavy, dark rum. This is a light drink. Use a clean white or lightly aged rum.
A timid shake. Shake hard; the drink should arrive with a fine layer of ice crystals.

A bartender's trick

Some bartenders drop a small piece of grapefruit peel into the shaker before shaking, sometimes called a "regal shake." The ice bruises the peel and releases its oils, adding brightness without extra juice. Try it with this drink.

Choosing the rum

The Floridita used light Cuban rum, and a clean, dry, lightly aged white rum is still the best choice. Look for a rum that has been aged a short time and filtered, around 40 percent alcohol, from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Panama or a similar light rum tradition. A small measure of a richer rum, such as 10 ml of an aged rum or a funky Jamaican rum, can add depth if you find the drink too lean. Avoid spiced rums, which fight with the maraschino.

Shaken or frozen?

Hemingway drank his daiquiris frozen, blended with shaved ice. To make one at home, blend the ingredients with about a cup of small ice cubes until smooth but not watery, and serve immediately in a chilled coupe or wide glass. Frozen drinks taste less sweet and less sour because cold numbs the palate, so you may want slightly more syrup. Shaken versions are brighter and show off the rum more clearly. Both are correct; they are simply different drinks.

Tasting and adjusting

Every grapefruit is different, so taste before you serve. If the drink is too sharp, add a few milliliters of syrup; too sweet, a little more lime. Maraschino is strong; more than 10 ml can dominate.

Hemingway also appears in our story of the Jack Rose. For another drink with Cuban roots and a hotel bar pedigree, read our guide to great hotel bars.

The Hemingway Daiquiri: Havana, Maraschino and Grapefruit