Revisiting of the Bacardi Cocktail

The Bacardi Cocktail/Daiquiri

The "Bacardi Cocktail" like the "Dark and Stormy" is a proprietary cocktail. Like the "Dark and Stormy", the "Bacardi Cocktail" spent some time in the courtroom. In 1936 the Bacardi Company brought before the courts several bar owners that were substituting another rum in their "Bacardi Cocktails". The American version of the "Bacardi Cocktail" had grenadine, but the original did not, and this was a big part of the discussion in the courtroom as to the proprietary nature of the recipe. Bacardi was really only interested in one thing with it's actions and that was that a b"Bacardi Cocktail" was to be made with Bacardi Rum. Bacardi received an affirmative ruling from the New York Supreme Court stating that "Bacardi Cocktails must be made with Bacardi Rum".

The earliest written records of the "Bacardi Cocktail" go back to 1917 in Hugo Ensslin's "Recipes for Mixed Drinks". In Ensslin's book, the recipe is the early Cuban version of the cocktail was basically the same as the Daiquiri.

The Earliest Recipe

• 1 drink Bacardi Rum
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 2 dashes Gum Syrup

(Simple syrup with gum arabic added to smooth and emulsify)
Shake well in a mixing glass with cracked ice, strain and serve.

Bacardi put out a booklet in 1930 called "BACARDI Algunos De Sus Muchos Usos" a name that roughly translated means "Bacardi some of it's many uses". In this book there is a change in the recipe for the "Bacardi Cocktail".

The more accepted Version

• Juice of half a lime
• 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 oz Bacardi White

Mix thoroughly, then shake well in cracked ice. May be served strained or unstrained. Important Do Not alter the order of the ingredients.
This is the real change that separated the Daiquiri from the cocktail when it could be served unstrained.

In America a "red" version of the Bacardi Cocktail was originated in New York, this one containing grenadine.
The Red Version

• 1 1/2 oz Bacardi White Rum
• the juice of 1/2 lime
  
• 1 bar spoon of Grenadine Syrup

Shake all ingredients in a mixing glass and strain into a cocktail glass.

Whether you serve the cocktail as a daiquiri, a cocktail, or unstrained over cracked ice, this is a delicious cocktail that stands alone as one of the very early classic cocktails of the world. It also makes sense that a "Bacardi Cocktail/Daiquiri" be made with Bacardi Rum seeing how it bears the name of the rum. Whether you like red or original just get out and enjoy this wonderful cocktail. ;o)