Good Libations: Hemingway Daiquiris

You may have a hard time imagining he-man Ernest Hemingway sipping a modern daiquiri, but this cocktail with a literary twist (created for the author while he lived in Havana) is both sophisticated and refreshing enough to quench the thirst of a lusty bullfighter. Composed of rhum agricole blanc, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and maraschino liqueur shaken and strained into a martini glass garnished with a simple lime wedge, this pretty pink concoction boasts perfectly balanced waves of earthy, sweet, and tart. Kendall Lockwood of The Ball & Biscuit (331 Massachusetts Ave., 317-636-0539, ballandbiscuit.com) explains: “If you think this is a traditional blended daiquiri, you’re going to be surprised.” The revitalizing version (pictured here) at Delicia (5215 N. College Ave., 317-925–0677, deliciaindy.com), which includes award-winning Neisson rhum and Luxardo maraschino liqueur, could bring you back from death in the afternoon. And The Brass Ring (1245 Shelby St., 317-635-7464, brassring.com) offers its own spin, with Prichard’s Key Lime Rum, fresh lime, and a ginger-basil liqueur that adds some bite. Adam Hayden, who mixes the drink at The Libertine Liquor Bar (38 E. Washington St., 317-631-3333, libertineindy.com), explains that the maraschino liqueur has an herbal complexity that gives the drink just enough sweetness.

Photo by Tony Valainis

This article appeared in the October 2013 issue.