Five-Spice Daiquiri

Recipe: Jason Hedges , Back Bar , New York City

Photo: Shannon Sturgis

December 20, 2024

Greenwich Village stalwart Gotham Bar and Grill may have closed but its memory lives on in this five-spice Daiquiri. Jason Hedges, Back Bar’s director of beverages, was a fan of the iconic restaurant’s fragrant five-spice duck and wanted to upcycle its flavors in a cocktail. By adding a homemade five-spice syrup to his Daiquiri riff, he creates an aromatic and complex cocktail with the perfect balance of sweet and savory.

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. dark rum (Back Bar uses Planteray)
1/2 oz. Jamaican rum (Back Bar uses Smith & Cross)
3/4 oz. five-spice syrup
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Tools:shaker, strainer, fine-mesh strainer
Glass:Nick & Nora
Garnish:star anise pod

Preparation

Add all the ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake. Fine strain into a chilled glass. Garnish.
Five-Spice SyrupFor every 2 cups of demerara syrup, add 1 cinnamon stick, 2 star anise, 1/2 tsp. of fennel seed, 1/2 tsp. of orange zest, and 1/2 tsp. of green Sichuan peppercorns or add 1 Tbsp. of Chinese five-spice powder, wrapped in a teabag. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fine-strain and bottle. Will keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks.