Gavin Humes is food and beverage director at Scratch Restaurants in Los Angeles.
With the weather in California what it is, I’ve been really leaning into rums lately, as they just scream out for warm weather (which we have plenty of!). Some of the high-end rums and agricoles can be really interesting.
That said, I’ve got a bottle of the Bank’s Five Island on my bar at the moment, and I’ve been making a classic Daiquiri like it’s going out of style. To me a Daiquiri has always been a cocktail that you can judge a bar on. It’s simple, but complex. There’s nowhere to hide.
Fortunately, with Bank’s Five Island, lime and Demerara simple syrup, it’s simple, it’s classic, it’s refreshing. The Daiquiri is everything I want in a cocktail—and easy to whip up!
Classic Daiquiri
2 oz. Bank’s Five Island rum
1 oz. Fresh-squeezed lime juice
½ oz. Demerara syrup (1:1 ratio)
Twist of lime
Add all ingredients to a shaker, shake with ice. Double strain into a coupe glass.