What is the base spirit in a Daiquiri?

The base spirit in a Daiquiri is rum. A classic Daiquiri combines white rum with fresh lime juice and sugar, producing a compact cocktail that balances spirit, acidity, and sweetness rather than relying on fruit purée or a long list of ingredients.

The drink takes its name from Daiquirí, a beach and former iron-mining area near Santiago de Cuba. The commonly accepted origin story credits American mining engineer Jennings Cox, who was working in Cuba around the time of the Spanish-American War in 1898. The recipe was later refined and popularized in Havana, especially by bartenders Emilio “Maragato” González and Constantino Ribalaigua Vert.

A Daiquiri is sometimes confused with frozen fruit drinks sold under the same name. Strawberry and banana Daiquiris are later variations, usually blended with ice, while the traditional version is shaken and strained into a chilled glass. The drink also resembles sailors’ grog, which combined rum, citrus, and sugar, but the Daiquiri’s defining base remains rum.