It’s Always Daiquiri Season

Andrew Bezek2 min readThe daiquiri has been compromised by identity theft. Down in Louisiana, the New Orleans Original Daiquiris chain has sullied the classic cocktail’s good name by slinging slushy sugar bombs with outrageous names like the Banana Banshee, Mudslide, and Crawgator.Savvy Esquire readers know that the original drink involves nothing more than rum, lime juice, and sweetener. Yet modern specialists like Vay Su, cofounder of Vandell in Los Angeles, can take you on a Caribbean odyssey by ruminating on the minutiae: What kind of limes, and how fresh? Cane sugar or simple syrup? Shaved ice or a fat chunk? And how much of the rum character should force its way through?Restaurants like Kabawa in New York’s East Village have transformed the humble daiquiri into an unforgettable drinking experience. When you step in and spy other people enjoying a concoction poured over 70 heaping grams of shaved ice, you already know what you’re going to order. Kathryn “Pepper” Stashek, Kabawa’s creative bartender—yes, that’s really her title—never gets tired of seeing that look in everyone’s eyes that says, Obviously, I need a daiquiri.At Kabawa, you get to choose your rum too. Opt for the Jamaica–Barbados blend of Probitas or go agricole with Montebello Rhum Blanc from the islands of Guadeloupe. Maybe veer down a vintage alley with Bacardi Carta Blanca from 1978. You can’t go wrong; the only mistake is assuming you need to wait for warm weather. As Su says, it’s always daiquiri season.The classic daiquiri involves nothing more than rum, lime juice, and sweetener.How to Make a Classic DaiquiriWant to whip up a classic daiquiri at home? Here’s how to do it the Esquire way.Ingredients2 oz white rum1/2 tsp superfine sugar1/2 oz lime juiceInstructionsSqueeze lime into shaker. Stir in sugar, then add rum. Shake well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.