It’s so far from summer, and I don’t dream of it. That’s just a thing I promised myself to do some day. This cocktail looked so beautiful therefore I can’t resist the temptation. Not long ago I’ve made a batch of cinnamon syrup and redeemed the promise to taste Boukman Daiquiri.
I’ve found the cocktail recipe at the Imbibe. Created by Alex Day from the Philadelphia’s The Franklin Bar, this modern Daiquiri variation has two key components which made a difference in the cocktail flavour. The first is the cinnamon syrup I wrote above, and the second is Cognac.
Boukman Daiquiri was named after Boukman Dutty, a slave from former French Saint-Domingue colony. Mighty houngan (male priest in voodoo religion), Boukman Dutty was the man who started Haitian revolution from a bloody voodoo ritual. Oh my God, what a weird story is behind the cocktail.
At first, I’ve made it under the original recipe. It calls for light rum but gives no hints where the rum is from – Haiti, Cuba or something else. So I’ve took rum to my taste.
Boukman Daiquiri
- 45 ml light rum (Havana Club 3 Anos),
- 15 мл Cognac (Chabot VSOP Armagnac),
- 20 ml fresh lime juice,
- 20 ml cinnamon syrup.
Shake with ice and strain in cocktail glass.
That would be nice cocktail if I’d took more rum and lighter brandy. Havana Club 3 Anos rum was too subtle to control united power of strong Armagnac and spicy syrup. There were a lot of wood and earthen notes brought by brandy and cinnamon behind strong fruit flavour in the start and on the swallow. And that was pleasant drink but definitely not usual Daiquiri: no fine dryness from rum, no sharp and tart lime, no light molasses aftertaste.
Then I’ve made some substitutions and corrections in the recipe.
The first, delicate Monnet VSOP Cognac has been selected instead of previously used Armagnac. The second, I’ve preferred Haitian Rhum Barbancourt 4 yo, the rum I usually go for when I need full-bodied rum with fine wooden notes in the flavour. The third, the amount of cinnamon syrup has been slightly decreased.
Boukman Original Daiquiri
- 45 ml Haitian rum (Rhum Barbancourt 4 yo),
- 15 ml Cognac (Monnet VSOP),
- 20 ml fresh lime juice,
- 15 ml cinnamon syrup.
Shake with ice and strain in cocktail glass.
It was a great pleasure to see how gently a duo of cinnamon and cognac mixes on the palate with the pair of rum and lime. Definitely Barbancourt rum became a bridge between these sides helping to underline subtle wood note of Cognac in the fruity and spicy ensemble.
Balance and depth in the taste were near perfect, and in the aftertaste dried fruits from the Cognac aroma came to the front to combine with warm rum and cinnamon hints.
Boukman Daiquiri in my adaptation is still far from the taste of classic Daiquiri. It’s just a wonderful cocktail with special warm wooden hints and strong cinnamon kick.
