Royal Bermuda Yacht Club

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (247 ratings)
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    Royal Bermuda Yacht Club

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Royal Bermuda Yacht Club image

Photographed in an UB Retro Coupe 1910

Ingredients:
2 oz Light gold rum (1-3 year old molasses column)
1⁄2 oz Difford's Falernum liqueur
1⁄4 oz Orange Curaçao liqueur
3⁄4 oz Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
0.08 oz Monin Pure Cane Syrup (65.0°brix, equivalent to 2:1 rich syrup)
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of lime wedge.
  3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
  5. Garnish with lime wedge on rim.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 6/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 6/10
More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

A full-flavoured, tangy Daiquiri with faint clove spice.

View readers' comments

History:

Created at the eponymous club, established in Bermuda in 1844 and largely frequented by British Army Officers. Royal Bermuda Yacht Club cocktail first appears in Crosby Gaige's 1941 Cocktail Guide & Ladies' Companion as the favourite cocktail of Mary Mabon, then a writer for Harper's Bazaar fashion magazine.

Mary Mabon
This lady, and make no mistake about it, she is, might have assumed any one of many rôles in life. She might have been Ethel Barrymore in Captain Jinks or Maude Adams in Peter Pan or Galen or George Sand or almost anyone except Fanny Farmer. She writes for Harper's Bazaar in aureate phrases with a golden pen, and I hope her publisher pays her accordingly.
Mrs. Mabon first met up with her favourite concoction at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, Hamilton, Bermuda. It is currently considered one of the best rum drinks on the island.

Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Cocktail
3 parts Barbados Rum
1 part Lime Juice
½ part Falernum of Sugar Syrup
Dash of Cointreau or Brandy
Shake with plenty of ice and strain into cocktail glass.
With such a drink the plantanitos fritos (fried banana chips) and the Taro chips that are new on the market are appetizing. Serve with these very small, not stuffed, green aniseed olives on a bed of crushed ice with the juice of half a lime squeezed over them.

Crosby Gaige, Cocktail Guide & Ladies' Companion, 1941

Our recipe adapted from Victor Bergeron's 1972 Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide.

ROYAL BERMUDA YACHT CLUB COCKTAIL
1½ ounces Barbados rum
½ ounce lime juice
¼ ounce Falernum
1 dash Cointreau
Shake with ice cubes. Strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide, 1972

Nutrition:

One serving of Royal Bermuda Yacht Club contains 211 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.6 standard drinks
  • 20.32% alc./vol. (20.32° proof)
  • 21.8 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Showing 10 of 19 comments for Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.
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Rick Rosemont’s Avatar Rick Rosemont
15th June at 22:50
It’s already summer in Florida, so I’m trying to move away from Old Fashioned’s, Manhattans, etc.
I’m a Daiquiri fan and this drink is great. Plantation 5 year rum from Barbados works really well and the clove flavors from the Falernum are spot on. What a wonderful drink.
1
reply
Peter Pendergest’s Avatar Peter Pendergest
6th April at 23:51
I accidentally left out the sugar syrup the first time I made this. Tried again with it, and I’m not convinced it even needs it (I’ll admit that I do prefer slightly sour drinks). Very tasty.
2
reply
Calvin Grant’s Avatar Calvin Grant
9th January at 02:43
Wow, the orange curaçao is a stand out here on first sip. (I used Pierre Ferrand.) Will try again with Doorly's as per Mr. Hinojos' recommendation.
1
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Anders Sorensen’s Avatar Anders Sorensen
24th August 2024 at 20:29
Endnu bedre med
22,5 ml mørk Rom
22,5 ml lys Rom
15 ml falernum
15 ml curacao
22,5 ml lime
1
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John Hinojos’ Avatar John Hinojos
31st July 2024 at 01:56
Made again using Barbados rum. Perfect. Not too sweet with a wonderful citrus flavour.
The choice of rum will make a difference. You need one which is not adulterated by sugar syrup.
While I love the funk of Jamaican, Martinique, and Haitian rhum, it will through this cocktail off balance. Stick with Barbados.
1
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Calvin Grant’s Avatar Calvin Grant
16th January at 03:25
Indeed, made this again with Mount Gay Eclipse and it was perfect! Thanks for the suggestion.
1
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Matt’s Avatar Matt
25th July 2024 at 00:44
A very good cocktail, but not my favorite - I thought that the curacao made it a bit too orangey.
0
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Niccolò Murtas’ Avatar Niccolò Murtas
3rd June 2024 at 18:41
The most outstanding daiquiri I tried, though clearly your falernum is half of the magic.
4
reply
David M.’s Avatar David M.
4th May 2024 at 03:52
Terrific! Enough rum that I could enjoy the funky nose using Havana Club Añejo Clásico. The rum, citrus and other flavors were in perfect balance. Nice upgrade in complexity from a standard daiquiri.
2
reply
Miguel Perales’ Avatar Miguel Perales
15th April 2024 at 23:09
Great flavor profile present. The rum and the Falernum work great together. I will second the thanks of John Hinojos about this site, it has greatly expanded my joy/knowledge of making cocktails for friends.
3
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Florian Ruf’s Avatar Florian Ruf
18th March 2024 at 14:57
Being a longtime favourite cocktail, I used funky Clement VO rhum agricole today and 2 drops Umami Bitters. Wow that is really another step forward!
1
reply
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