Again in 2021, Jennifer Akin, the then-general supervisor of Seattle’s Rumba, graciously agreed to share the recipe for Rumba’s home rum mix. Just lately, Rumba’s present bar supervisor, Josh Ibañez, shared Rumba’s revised mix and has graciously consented to let me reshare it on Cocktail Wonk.

Beneath, Josh offers the brand new mix recipe and describes the considering behind it.

Rumba Daiquiri (Cuban fashion) mix

• 3L Brugal Anejo
• 2L Don Q Gold
• 1L Bounty White
• 1L Plantation 3 Star
• 750ml Ten to One White
• 375ml Smith and Cross
• 375ml Wray and Nephew White Overproof

For these of you not making eight-liter batches, right here’s the recipe in ratio type:

• 12 components Brugal Anejo
• 8 components Don Q Gold
• 4 Components Bounty White
• 4 components Plantation 3 Star
• 3 components Ten to One White
• 1.5 components Smith and Cross
• 1.5 components Wray and Nephew White Overproof

You might have heard that Rumba has determined to now not carry Bacardi merchandise as a result of firm’s involvement in Russia. A dialog that’s nonetheless ongoing.

When this occurred, I knew we would wish to make a significant change to our Daiquiri mix, primarily as a result of Bacardi 4 and Gold had been integral to it.

With that in thoughts, I got down to modify and create a Cuban-style mix that is still sharp and crisp but in addition has a little bit of physique and edge. The mix should be cost-effective, versatile, and enchantment to rattling close to anybody. That’s the fantastic thing about a daiquiri — It will possibly flip heads and lift the eyebrows of even essentially the most pessimistic non-rum drinker.

Switching the Bacardi Gold for Don Q Gold was a fast and painless adjustment that retains the heavy Puerto Rican spine. Gentle, impartial, and a contact extra rounded.

The harder half was the Bacardi 4 (Cuatro). After making an attempt half a dozen totally different rums, recreating the mix again and again in small portions, I landed on Brugal Añejo. This rum is estimated to be 2-5yrs outdated, is column distilled, and barrel-focused with a softer profile than Bacardi 4. It offers a full physique to the mix whereas preserving every part mild and refined.

The ultimate adjustment was splitting our pure Jamaican rum part into two rums. I retained the Smith & Cross and added Wray and Nephew White Overproof. Only a small quantity of unaged Jamaican offers the mix with a little bit of edge, funk, and a long-lasting impression on the palate.

Having finalized the mix, I had one final change to make. The revised mix tastes nice by itself whereas working nice in all our home cocktails that use it. All apart from our Daiquiri #1 — essentially the most essential. My answer to the Daiquiri #1 drawback was growing the lime juice from 0.75 ouncesto 1 oz. That did the trick! The daiquiri was now crisp, juicy, nuanced, and really drinkable. For me, that’s what a daiquiri ought to in the end be. Making a single DTO is a lot simpler now!

Rumba Daiquiri #1

• 2 ouncesRumba Cuban Model Mix
• 1 ounceslime juice
• 0.5 ounceshouse “sophisticated” syrup

Sophisticated Syrup

• 60 ouncesWhite Sugar (by weight)
• 12 ouncesDemerara Sugar (by weight)
• 36 ouncesWater
• 1 bottle Rhum JM Sirop de Canne

Cook dinner all besides the Sirop de Canne on low warmth for 1 hour; don’t boil. Take away from warmth and add 1 bottle of JM Sirop de Canne.

A smaller model:

• 20 ouncesWhite Sugar (by weight)
• 4 ouncesDemerara Sugar (by weight)
• 12 ouncesWater
• 8 ouncesRhum JM Sirop de Canne