Eccentrica Daiquiri
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 16.3% ABV ∙
The Eccentrica Daiquiri is a shaken rum sour that reworks the classic lime-and-sugar Daiquiri with mastiha liqueur and birch water. Tart lime hits first, then the mastiha's faint pine-resin sweetness and the birch water's earthy minerality settle underneath — a lighter, more herbal spin than a straight rum sour, good as a warm-weather aperitif.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: White rum 45 mlMastiha liqueur 15 mlLime juice 15 mlBirch water 30 mlSugar syrup 10 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a lime wedge
Tips
- Shake all five ingredients hard with cubed ice for a full 12-15 seconds since birch water dilutes the mix and needs vigorous agitation to bind properly.
- Double strain into the chilled coupe to catch any lime pulp or ice shards, keeping the surface glassy given the low-viscosity birch water base.
- Measure the mastiha liqueur carefully at 15 ml, as overpouring lets its resinous pine note overwhelm the rum and lime balance.
- Squeeze lime juice fresh just before shaking; pre-juiced lime oxidizes quickly and flattens the drink's balance against the sugar syrup.
History
The Eccentrica Daiquiri is a twist on the Daiquiri, the rum sour whose invention is widely credited to Jennings Cox, an American mining engineer working near the town of Daiquiri in eastern Cuba during the Spanish-American War of 1898. Accounts describe Cox improvising with local Bacardi rum, lime, and sugar after running short of his usual spirits, and some versions of the story credit his associate Francesco Domenico Pagliuchi with suggesting the name after the nearby mining town, though this is based on Pagliuchi's own 1948 account. The drink stayed largely local until 1909, when U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Lucius W. Johnson tasted it in Cuba and introduced it to the Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C., after which it spread through American cocktail culture. This variation departs from that citrus-and-rum original by adding a Greek mastic-resin liqueur and birch water alongside the traditional lime and sugar, giving the classic sour a resinous, herbal edge.
FAQ
What is in an Eccentrica Daiquiri?
White rum, mastiha liqueur, fresh lime juice, birch water, and sugar syrup, shaken and served up in a coupe glass. A classic Daiquiri is just rum, lime, and sugar; this build adds mastiha liqueur and birch water for an herbal, mineral twist on the original three.
What are the main ingredients of a classic Daiquiri?
A classic Daiquiri is made of just three ingredients: white rum, fresh lime juice, and sugar syrup, shaken and strained into a chilled glass. This is the base that the Eccentrica Daiquiri builds on, adding mastiha liqueur and birch water on top.
Is an Eccentrica Daiquiri shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The lime juice, birch water, and sugar syrup need the hard aeration and quick chill of a shake; stirring would leave it flat and under-diluted.
What glass is an Eccentrica Daiquiri served in?
A coupe glass, served up and garnished with a lime wedge, since the drink is fine-strained and no ice reaches the glass.
What is the best liquor for a Daiquiri?
White rum is the classic choice, prized for its clean, light profile that lets the lime and sugar lead without competing flavors. This build uses white rum as its base too, with mastiha liqueur added alongside it for extra depth.
What is the 2:1:1 rule for cocktails?
The 2:1:1 rule is a classic sour template of two parts spirit to one part citrus to one part sweetener, the ratio a traditional Daiquiri follows. This build departs from that simple ratio, splitting the sweet-and-citrus balance across mastiha liqueur, lime juice, birch water, and sugar syrup.
What are common mistakes when making a Daiquiri?
The most common mistakes are using bottled lime juice instead of fresh, under-shaking so the drink stays warm and flat, and over- or under-sweetening because limes vary in acidity. Shaking hard and tasting before straining fixes most of these.
