Hemingway Daiquiri

classic cocktail

Mar 4

I imagine that I’m not the only one who has a favorite spot in which to sit and read a good book. At times there may even be a cocktail close at hand, at least when there isn’t a good cup of coffee. There are plenty of excellent literary cocktails to choose from, and this time I’ve selected an old favorite, the Hemingway daiquiri. Like any really good classic, this one comes with a story. It’s named after one of the greats of twentieth century writing, after all. The drink was born in Havana Cuba, at El Floridita, a bar made famous by it and by its famous patron. Ernest Hemingway loved Cuba, and visited and lived there on many occasions starting in 1928. Before he bought his “Lookout Farm” house, where he wrote Islands in the Stream, A Moveable Feast, and The Old Man and the Sea, he would stay at the Hotel Ambos Mundos. On many afternoons, he strolled from the hotel down to El Floridita, where Constantino Ribalaigua Vert would make him a special version of the house daiquiri. In those days, a daiquiri was (as it should still be) a pure mix of white rum, fresh lime juice, and sugar, and at La Floridita it was served en frappé, a reliable way to beat the afternoon heat. Hemingway would have his as a double – twice the rum – and without the sugar. His “double frozen daiquiri” became known fondly as the “Papa doble”.

Ribalaigua, a legend in Cuba at that time, was known familiarly as El Rey de los Coteleros (the King of Cocktails). Hemingway would bring his friends, fellow writers, actors and guests to the bar to have the best daiquiri in town. Years later, El Floridita’s then head bartender Antonio Meilan modified the original Papa Doble, which is very strong and dry, balancing it with grapefruit juice and a touch of cherry liqueur. This became the Hemingway Special which is how the drink is known today. It’s still fairly strong and dry, but nonetheless quite delicious, and truly best served blended on a hot day. Of course, many recipes now exist, with vastly different amounts of every single ingredient in this simple cocktail, so you’ll have to find out which edition you prefer by reading them all. Book-mark it for your next beach read, and happy Book Day. Cheers!