Hemingway Daiquiri
Serves 1 · 5 minutes · Large cocktail glass
Last updated 24 October 2026
The Hemingway Daiquiri — listed by the IBA as the Hemingway Special — adds grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur to the rum-and-lime structure of a classic daiquiri, with no added sugar. This page follows the IBA specification; historical Papa Doble formulas differ and are not claimed here.
Ingredients
- — 60ml white rum (40% ABV assumed)
- — 40ml fresh pink grapefruit juice
- — 15ml Luxardo Maraschino liqueur (32% ABV)
- — 15ml fresh lime juice
- — Ice cubes
Method
- Chill a large cocktail glass and squeeze the grapefruit and lime, removing any seeds.
- Measure the rum, grapefruit juice, maraschino and lime juice into a shaker.
- Fill with ice, seal and shake hard for 10–15 seconds until thoroughly chilled.
- Strain into the chilled glass and serve immediately, without ice in the glass.
Why it works
Grapefruit supplies bitterness and fruit, lime sharpens it, and maraschino adds a dry cherry-almond sweetness in place of sugar. The drink is deliberately tart. We make Dilay; the spiced option is an optional first-party variation, not a claim about the classic's identity.
The classic vs the spiced version
The IBA Hemingway Special specifies 60ml rum, 40ml grapefruit juice, 15ml maraschino and 15ml lime juice. We keep those measures exactly. Replace the 60ml white rum with 60ml Dilay only for a clearly labelled spiced adaptation: cardamom and ginger sit behind the grapefruit and cherry rather than reproducing the white-rum original.
Tips for getting it right
- — There is no sugar syrup in this specification. The maraschino supplies the sweetness, so do not add syrup without treating it as your own adaptation.
- — Maraschino is a distilled cherry liqueur at 32% ABV in the cited bottling, not cherry syrup. Its alcohol is counted in the units below.
- — Fresh grapefruit varies in bitterness. Taste the juice first; a very bitter grapefruit may need a different serving adjustment, not extra rum.
- — The IBA rum measure is 60ml, larger than our 50ml house daiquiri. Keep the measure as specified or scale all ingredients together.
Related serves
For the classic rum-and-lime original, make a Daiquiri
For rum, pineapple and maraschino, try a Mary Pickford
Choose a white rum in our Daiquiri white-rum comparison
Frequently asked questions
Is a Hemingway daiquiri the same as a Papa Doble?
Not exactly. This page follows the current IBA Hemingway Special specification. Historical Papa Doble formulas differ in proportions and blending; we do not claim this recipe verifies those.
Does a Hemingway daiquiri contain sugar?
No added sugar in the IBA specification. The maraschino liqueur supplies the sweetness, which is why its measure matters to the balance.
How many units are in a Hemingway daiquiri?
At the stated strengths, 60ml rum at 40% and 15ml maraschino at 32% give 2.88 UK units. Check both bottle labels.
Can I use spiced rum?
Yes as a labelled variation. Substitute the same 60ml measure; the grapefruit, maraschino and lime stay unchanged.
Try Dilay 1949 Panjabi Spiced Rum in this recipe.
BUY DILAY 1949 PANJABI SPICED RUMRecipe references
Our method and spiced adaptations are described separately from the referenced classic specifications.
Approx. 2.88 UK units per serving from the measured alcoholic ingredients. 2.88 UK units per serving at the stated strengths: 60ml rum at 40% plus 15ml maraschino liqueur at 32%. Check actual bottle labels; ice dilution does not remove alcohol.
Please drink responsibly. 18+. Visit drinkaware.co.uk for the facts.