Name: Nuclear Daiquiri
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 30 ml White overproof rum; 20 ml Chartreuse Green; 15 ml Lime juice; 10 ml Falernum liqueur; 10 ml Chilled water

Nuclear Daiquiri
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Photographed in an UB Retro Coupe 1920 7.75oz

Ingredients:
1 oz	White overproof rum (unaged Jamaican/funky)
²⁄₃ oz	Green Chartreuse (or alternative herbal liqueur)
¹⁄₂ oz	Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
¹⁄₃ oz	Difford's Falernum liqueur
¹⁄₃ oz	Chilled water omit if using wet ice

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

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

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Cocktail of the day:

14th August 2025 is Power failures across NE America

Review:

A great way to inflict mutually assured destruction, although there will be fallout the morning after.

View readers' comments

Variant:

Nuclear Banana Daiquiri

History:

Created in 2005 by the late great Gregor de Gruyther at LAB bar in London, England.

More cocktails by Gregor de Gruyther

Nutrition:

One serving of Nuclear Daiquiri contains 170 calories

Alcohol content:

1.7 standard drinks
27.42% alc./vol. (27.42° proof)
23.3 grams of pure alcohol

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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 11 comments for Nuclear Daiquiri.
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Calvin Grant

26th February at 02:42

Just fantastic. Have enjoyed again an again over the years. Paired well with a cold tuna sandwich on whole wheat with generous horseradish! I used Hamden Estate's Rum Fire and green Chartreuse.

Bruce Bowman

11th December 2024 at 23:52

I used Don Q and faccia brutto and bumped things up x1.5 so the measurements come out easier (as it probably should be).
Wow. Prepare to have your socks knocked off. It's really strong, both in alcohol and flavor. This is a sipper, not a gulper. Could you fuel a rocket with it? I wouldn't be surprised.
Very herbal/spicy, the lime and rum take a back seat here. Very complex, it reminds me of a Last Word, but more in your face. The Falernum contributes sweetness and pleasant notes of nutmeg/cloves. Very warming on a cold winter's night.
The Nuclear Daiquiri bears little resemblance to a regular Daiquiri, Hemingway or otherwise. But it's still a 4-star beverage, and a great way to use up these less-mainstream components. Believe me, it'll kick your hind end, too. Bottoms up!

Landon Brown

20th September 2024 at 09:12

I made this with slightly different ratios: 1 oz Wray & Nephew; 3/4 oz Chartreuse; 1/2 oz Falernum (home-made); 1 oz Lime Juice; 1 Barspoon Semi-Rich Simple. Unlike most of the other comments, my Falernum was very much in front (quite spicy, lots of clove and nutmeg) and Chartreuse was (uncharacteristically) playing second fiddle. I found it be a fantastic cocktail, but I suspect the Falernum you use will impact the outcome significantly.

Frederic D.

11th September 2024 at 22:13

A very solid and enjoyable drink, Chartreuse forward but with balancing elements from the rum and lime. I definitely prefer this to a Wordsmith, personally, although I can't really compare it to a 'regular' daiquiri. The Chartreuse is such a bold, upfront flavor that this, to me, registers more as a Chartreuse drink than as a daiquiri variation. Still, a great drink.

Avery Garnett

23rd April 2024 at 17:43

First thoughts: this really is the lovechild of a Wordsmith and a Daiquiri but it's not as good as either of them. Many sips later: this really is the lovechild of a Wordsmith and a Daiquiri and it doesn't quite get to the level of either of them but it's still a damn delicious drink.

Antoni Baltar

31st May 2024 at 19:21

Excuse me, Avery, but I must say it loud: The NUCLEAR DAIQUIRI is a PIECE OF ART. A real great creation. That Wordsmith you mention is just ( and it's not bad at all) a Last Word made with overproof rhum. Where is the creativity here??? I can't find it. You can call it Wordsmith, I will call it a Last Word w/ Overproof Rum.
Do it yourself a favour and prepare a Nuclear Daiquiri. I'm about to do it right now. With a dash of absinthe (green, of course), a great improvement I found somewhere. And you know, this little movement is much more creative than swapping gin for overproof rum...
If you are the creator of the "Wordsmith", my congratulations. In other case, raise your cocktal glass with me and let's toast for GREGOR DE GRUYTHER. A cocktail Master, no doubt! Cheers

1 reply

Morten Carlsbaek

12th February 2024 at 19:49

Great cocktail. Strong and Chartreuse is in front first BUT then it changes with even more distinctions than inherent in the Chartreuse. I used a mix of Habitation Velier Privateer Rum (62 % molasses, US rum and Hampden Estate 8 yr ( 46 % Jamaican rum )

Chris Brislawn

6th August 2023 at 03:35

Used 1 oz Bacardi Maestro white rum, 1/2 oz Wray overproof, 1/2 oz Elixir Ver, a green Chartreuse-like herbal liqueur from Oregon, 1/2 oz lime juice, 1/4 oz falernum, and a couple lime twists in the shaker. About the same alcohol content as the original and sweet enough for me. Reducing the green stuff a bit gives a subtler, more daiquiri-like cocktail with greater complexity than a daiquiri, which makes it more interesting than a classical daiquiri. Well done!