Royal Daiquiri

A daiquiri – the classic combination of sugar, lime and rum – is a great base on which to create all kinds of other wonderful cocktails. We often default to daiquiris when our creative juices are tapped out, only to find ourselves getting inspired as we sip our way through them. There is no doubt that early tiki pioneers also felt the same way. One simple twist on the daiquiri is the Royal Daiquiri, which is a drink credited to Don the Beachcomber. This daiquiri adds Parfait Amour to the mix, giving the drink a very “royal” purple color.

Parfait Amour is a liquor that is typically made with a base of orange curacao, to which other flavors such as rose, vanilla and almond are added. These additional ingredients give it a softer orange flavor a bit more sweetness than you would typically find in orange curacao. It blends nicely with the lime and rum, without overpowering the drink. We used Marie Brizzard, but other brands of Parfait Amour may have slightly different flavor profiles, though they will still have the signature purple color.

We found that the original recipe didn’t give us quite the purple color that we were hoping for, so we increased the amount of it slightly just to help it stand out. We also added a bit more simple syrup than the trace amount of sugar called for in most of the original versions of this cocktail that we’ve seen, both to balance the acidity of the lime and boost the flavors in the liqueur. The finished drink has a nice blend of lime, orange and rum – and tastes a bit more complex than its simple ingredient list suggests.

Royal Daiquiri
1 1/2 oz light rum (use your favorite!)
3/4 oz Parfait Amour
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, fill with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe. Garnish with a lime wedge.