During a recent visit to Dullboy in Jersey City, I wanted to be able to enjoy a leisurely afternoon on the bar’s back patio without a Martini-sized wallop. I scanned the menu for something amaro-based (and, thus, low-ABV), and spotted a Daiquiri made with not just one amaro, but three. I was intrigued. The shakerato had been making the rounds again online, and visions of a fluffy amaro cocktail danced in my head.
Dullboy’s creation delivered. The blend of amari was herbal, earthy, minty and spicy all at once, and the drink was silky smooth but with a touch of lingering froth. Like any good Daiquiri, this one was full and round, while lime juice kept the entire thing bright and refreshing. A touch of saline solution—which I learned was in the drink only after drinking it—made the amari and lime’s flavors pop. It turned amaro crushable without sacrificing its complexity.
While I chose Dullboy’s Amaro Daiquiri to prolong a late afternoon, the bar’s beverage director, Marcelino Figueiras, originally envisioned the cocktail as an after-dinner serve. He wanted “to go beyond the typical stirred spec for a digestif.” During his research, Figueiras discovered that an Amaro Daiquiri indeed already existed, at Billy Sunday in Chicago. That version is made with Amaro Braulio and Sfumato Rabarbaro. Figueiras tried the drink while visiting, and it was just what he’d imagined. Back in Jersey City, he tapped bar manager Marco Pintle to help develop Dullboy’s take.
Pintle and Figueiras kept the two amari in Billy Sunday’s Daiquiri, with a twist. “Sfumato provides a strong backbone with its smoky, earthy notes,” while “Braulio adds refreshing spearmint and a deep coffee finish,” Figueiras says. “Finally, we chose Lucano to tone down the overall bitterness and add depth with hints of orange zest.” A gateway amaro, Lucano makes the cocktail even more approachable for guests who may not be as familiar with digestivi.
The Amaro Daiquiri’s froth is the perfect finish. To get its signature texture, Dullboy uses a handheld frother before shaking everything together with ice in the tin. The kitchen tool technique creates a whipped texture, hinting slightly, satisfyingly, at a frozen Daiquiri—yet another reason the cocktail is an instant crowd-pleaser. It’s bold, it’s refreshing and it’s versatile. I’ll gladly take one (or make one) for long afternoons, post-dinner drinking or late nights all summer long.
