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Our favourite Daiquiri recipes for every catch-up this season


Read time 4 Mins

Posted 05 Sep 2024

By
Lulu Morris


The Pineapple Daiquiri, with a wedge of pineapple as garnish

From the OG to all the flavours of the tropical rainbow, meet the Daiquiri family.

One of the most important cocktails for newbie bartenders to master is the punchy three-ingredient Daiquiri. It’s a cocktail that’s fairly underestimated, but it’s a true test of a bartender’s abilities and a gold standard across bars everywhere. The Daiquiri is not only judged for its balance of sweet, sour and strong (alcohol), but also for its violent, quick and masterful shake that leaves it with its unique snow-like shards of ice and subtle effervescence.

The Daiquiri is a true marker of bartending capability and a much-loved favourite among hospo peeps (Snaiquiris, anyone?). And while the OG Daiquiri reigns supreme, it doesn’t mean you can’t get the same punchy, balanced cocktails across the rest of the Daiquiri family. So, let us introduce you to the fam. 

The original lime Daiquiri
1. The OG Daiquiri
There is a reason bartender Tim Phillips (ex-Bulletin Place) urged customers to “drink a Daiquiri while it's still laughing at you”. This quick and masterful creation is shaken up vigorously and violently, so you can drink it as soon as it's placed in front of you. We’ve waxed lyrical about its taste, method and importance above, but to put it simply, the Daiquiri is bloody delicious. Pro tip for making one at home: avoid the double strain. You want those little crystalised shards of ice to float pretty on the top.  
2. The Mango DaiquiriIf you were to ask us what our favourite Daiquiri was, it’d be the OG by a country mile. But running in a close second is the Mango Daiquiri because, well, who doesn’t love mango? We especially love this one when the blessed mango season arrives, so we get that beautiful fresh, sweet and slightly zesty flavour of fresh mango, but frozen works okay, too. If you’re feeling a bit fancy, chuck some chilli either into the mix or line your Daiquiri with a trendy Tajin rim to complement that mango flavour (mango, chilli and lime are our favourite throuple atm). 
The Mango Daiquiri is one of the best summer cocktails
Holding a Pineapple Daiquiri in a coupe cocktail glass
3. Pineapple Daiquiri
Coming in third place for us is the Pineapple Daiquiri because fresh pineapple is a pure tropical delight. Unlike our cheeky Mango number above, this one is more about the juice, so if you’ve bought yourself a whole pineapple, don’t fret – just give it a quick juice (and save the skins for Tepache – the homemade Mexican pineapple brew made with its skins). We want to give this Daiquiri a great big shake to get that pineapple juice all fluffy and riled up, so you’re left with a tropical masterpiece that has an outstanding bit of head. 
4. Hotel Nacional
On the outskirts of the Daiquiri family lies its Hotel Nacional cousin. Often described as a Winter Daiquiri, it’s made from a darker-styled spiced rum and apricot brandy, and subs the lime for lemon and pineapple juice. A little deeper in flavour and colour, this cocktail is a crowd-pleaser and something a little different from your OG or super tropical Daiquiris. Very worth a try. 
With spiced rum, the Hotel Nacional is more like a winter Daiquiri
The Frozen Coconut Daiquiri is a crowd-pleaser
5. Frozen Coconut DaiquiriFrozen Daiquiris are giving fun aunt. Maybe it’s because this author has an aunty who froths a frozen Daiquiri, or maybe it’s because it’s the fastest and easiest way to make a delicious cocktail. Either way, a Frozen Daiquiri (especially this recipe for a coconut one) slaps. It’s the perfect party cocktail because all the ingredients get dumped into a blender and because everyone, and we mean everyone, will love it. It’s also one of the best ways to feel like you’re on a tropical vacay, even if you are playing pretend in your loungeroom. 
6. Strawberry DaiquiriDon’t get this twist twisted. This is not another frozen blender-style cocktail. This is a more subtle variation that is super delicate and oh-so pretty. The Strawberry Daiquiri takes two fresh strawberries and muddles them at the bottom of the shaker to give your OG Daiquiri a little pink strawberry taste; very different from adding full-on frozen strawbs to a blender and obliterating them. Have a go at this recipe if you’re after a Daiquiri with a little bit of je ne sais quoi.
The Strawberry Daiquiri puts a delicate twist on the original lime Daiquiri
Other blended Daiquiri ideas to try

Want more blender-friendly Daiquiri recipes? We've got you covered. You could have a go at our Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri for a brilliant sweet and pink twist, or Frozen Banana Daiquiri (pictured) to complement your chosen rum nicely. There’s also the Mango and Amaretto Daiquiri for a nutty twist on the Mango Daiquiri, and if you’re not feeling the rum, here’s a Non-Alc Frozen Strawb recipe that’s sure to hit the spot without compromising on that delish Daiquiri flavour. 

 

For more cocktail inspiration, check out our collection of recipes, which are written and tested by our team of experts.