John F Kennedy's Favorite Drink Was A Sweet Rum Delight

The daiquiri sounds anything but presidential. After all, this drink has become a cliche for college kids going to Fort Lauderdale for spring break; however, before it was a frozen cocktail for youthful vacationers, this alcoholic beverage was considered the choice of a sophisticated and well-heeled set, including the 35th President of the United States. John F. Kennedy was a fan of this three-ingredient drink, which was on par with ordering a martini, an Old Fashioned, a gin gimlet, or a Manhattan. In fact, it is rumored that after defeating Richard Nixon in 1960, Kennedy took his victory lap sipping on one of these made by his wife. 

A classic daiquiri uses rum, sugar, and lime juice. It's shaken with ice and served in a coupe cocktail glass. It is strong and sweet with a little bit of a pucker. When Jackie Kennedy made her version of the daiquiri for the President, she had a secret ingredient that set hers apart. Mrs. Kennedy used a few drops of falernum. This sweet, spiced syrup is dominated by warm spices like ginger and clove, along with some lime and almond. It can be either alcoholic with a rum base or alcohol-free. Mrs. Kennedy also used limeade instead of the traditional lime juice. It must have been perfection because the White House kitchen kept it pinned on the wall for quick reference.

The daiquiri had quite the following well before President John F. Kennedy started drinking them. Literati like Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald were also known to enjoy this cocktail. The Hemingway daiquiri, also known as the Papa Doble, differs from Kennedy's in that it uses blonde rum, grapefruit juice, and maraschino liqueur in addition to lime juice and sugar. It's sweet, tart, citrusy, and refreshing. It's easy to understand why the writer would order one of these up when whetting his whistle at the famous Havana bar, El Floridita.

Today, there are so many variations on this drink that a daiquiri lover could make it a year-long quest to try them all. The Bellagio in Las Vegas served up the Bella Donna daiquiri in the early 2000s, made with dark rum, lemon juice, simple syrup, and amaretto. The glass is rimmed with cinnamon sugar to give the drinker a warm, sweet hit on the tongue that enhances the rum and amaretto. Of course, whatever type of daiquiri you mix up, the most important tip to keep in mind is that you need to have a Goldilocks mentality. The key to getting it right is all about balance. It can't be too sweet, too sour, or too strong.