The Hemingway Special recipe
for your table
Place a coupe in the freezer for ten minutes, or fill it with ice and water.
Squeeze the grapefruit and lime fresh, then measure out 4 cl grapefruit juice and 1.5 cl lime juice.
Pour the rum, grapefruit juice, maraschino, and lime juice into an ice-filled shaker.
Shake vigorously for twelve to fifteen seconds, until the outside of the shaker feels ice-cold.
Discard the ice from the coupe and double-strain the cocktail into it.
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The story
The Hemingway Special comes from El Floridita, the bar in Havana that calls itself la cuna del daiquiri: the cradle of the Daiquiri. This is where the Catalan bartender Constantino Ribalaigua Vert began working behind the bar in 1914; in 1918, he became the owner and made a name for himself with his daiquiris. Ernest Hemingway, who spent a great deal of time in Havana from the 1930s onward, was a regular guest. According to legend, he ordered his Daiquiri without sugar and with double rum, a version that became known as the Papa Doble. Grapefruit juice and maraschino were later added to make the sharp drink more approachable. Exactly who took that step has not been recorded. Since 2003, a bronze statue of the writer has stood at the end of the bar in his regular spot.
The right glass
Serve the Hemingway Special in a chilled coupe of 24 to 26 cl. The IBA calls for a large cocktail glass, and for good reason: with 13 cl of ingredients and the dilution from the shaker, you end up with around 17 cl, too much for a small Nick & Nora glass. The wide bowl of a coupe lets the fresh grapefruit aroma escape, while the stem keeps your warm hand away from a drink without ice. View our champagne coupe glasses.
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The right tools
For a Hemingway Special, besides the glass, you need a Boston shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a cocktail strainer, a fine-mesh strainer for double straining, and a citrus press. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
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What do you need to make a Hemingway Special?
For a Hemingway Special, you need rum and liqueur. Popular bottles include Havana Club and Bacardi. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works well in and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The names Hemingway Daiquiri and Papa Doble are often used interchangeably for this drink; the IBA calls it Hemingway Special. If you find the IBA version too dry, add 0.5 to 1 cl sugar syrup to move it towards the classic Daiquiri. With pink grapefruit, it becomes softer and lightly pink in colour. It can also be made in a blender, just like the Frozen Daiquiri. If you like maraschino, also try the Mary Pickford or the Aviation.
Serving tip
Press the grapefruit just before shaking, for example with a press from our citrus presses. Grapefruit juice from a carton is sweeter and lacks the bitter peel oil this drink needs. The IBA does not prescribe a garnish; a strip of grapefruit zest squeezed over the glass does add extra aroma without changing the flavour.
Good to know
Difference between Hemingway Special and Daiquiri
A classic Daiquiri consists of three things: rum, lime juice, and simple syrup, with the sourness and sweetness in balance. The Hemingway Special leaves out the syrup entirely and adds two other flavorings. Grapefruit juice adds volume and a bitter freshness, while maraschino provides a dry, nutty sweetness that is much subtler than sugar. It contains less lime juice than a Daiquiri because the grapefruit also contributes acidity. This makes the Hemingway Special longer, drier, and more complex. Anyone used to a Daiquiri may find it sharp on the first sip; the second usually goes down better.
Which rum works best
The IBA lists only rum, but in practice you should choose a light, white rum in the Cuban style. It is dry and clean and lets the grapefruit and maraschino do their work. Havana Club 3 Años is the Cuban white rum that is easiest to find here; Bacardi Carta Blanca is a common alternative. A heavy, dark rum overwhelms the delicate flavor of the maraschino and makes the drink feel heavier. A lightly aged rum can work if you want it a little rounder. Do not buy spiced rum for this cocktail; the vanilla and spices clash with the grapefruit.
What is maraschino
Maraschino is a clear liqueur distilled from Marasca cherries, a small, sour cherry from Dalmatia. It is not sweet cherry syrup: the flavor is dry, floral, and slightly nutty because the pits are included too. Luxardo is the best-known brand and is also specified by name in the IBA recipe. A bottle lasts a long time because you only use a splash per cocktail. You also need it for the Aviation and the Last Word, so it will not languish at the back of the cupboard. Do not replace it with kirsch or cherry brandy; that produces a completely different drink.
Making a Hemingway Special without a shaker
No shaker at home? A jam jar of at least half a liter with a tightly fitting lid works well. Pour in the rum, grapefruit juice, maraschino, and lime juice, fill the jar two-thirds full with ice, and shake as hard as you can for fifteen seconds. Then strain through a tea strainer into the chilled coupe, so no ice chips or pulp get through. Stirring is not a good alternative: citrus juice needs the aeration and rapid cooling from shaking to become fresh and light.
How much alcohol is in a Hemingway Special
Expect about 17 percent in the glass. The 6 cl of 40 percent rum provides 2.4 cl of pure alcohol, while the 1.5 cl of 32 percent maraschino adds almost 0.5 cl more. Together, that is about 2.9 cl, diluted in a glass of around 17 cl after shaking. That amounts to more than two standard drinks, more than most cocktails served in a coupe. Because the grapefruit is fresh and the drink is dry, you barely notice its strength. So drink it slowly and keep a glass of water beside it.
Grapefruit juice: white, pink or from a carton
The juice largely determines how this drink tastes. White grapefruit is the most bitter and sour, producing the sharp, dry version associated with the original. Pink or red grapefruit is sweeter and milder and gives the cocktail a light pink color. Both are fine, as long as you juice them fresh: allow for half a grapefruit per glass. Juice from a carton is pasteurized, often sweetened and lacks the essential oil from the peel released during juicing. This makes the Hemingway Special flat and too sweet.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Hemingway Special?
A Hemingway Special is a variation on the Daiquiri made with white rum, fresh grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur and lime juice, without sugar syrup. It originated at El Floridita in Havana and was named after Ernest Hemingway, who was a regular there. The drink is on the official IBA list.
What is in a Hemingway Special?
According to the IBA, it contains 6 cl of rum, 4 cl of grapefruit juice, 1.5 cl of Luxardo maraschino and 1.5 cl of fresh lime juice. Shake everything with ice and strain it into a large, chilled cocktail glass. There is no sugar syrup, and the IBA does not specify a garnish either.
Why is there no sugar in a Hemingway Special?
Because, according to tradition, Hemingway ordered his Daiquiri without sugar and with double the rum. The drink was very sharp, so grapefruit juice and maraschino were added later. The maraschino now provides the sweetness, but much less than sugar syrup would.
Which glass do you use for a Hemingway Special?
A chilled coupe glass holding 24 to 26 cl. The IBA calls for a large cocktail glass because the drink comes to about 17 cl after dilution. The wide bowl releases the grapefruit aroma, while the stem prevents your hand from warming the drink.
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