Wray & Nephew overproof rum, Green Chartreuse, falernum, and lime—a tiki daiquiri built for extremity.
The Nuclear Daiquiri is an act of deliberate escalation. Where the classic daiquiri—rum, lime, sugar—operates on elegance, this version substitutes Wray & Nephew overproof (63% ABV) for standard rum and Green Chartreuse for the sweetener. The result is not subtle. It is forceful, herbal, and incandescent green in the glass.
The drink was created by Gregor de Gruyther at LAB Bar in London in the early 2000s, during a period when bartenders were reaching for high-proof spirits and unusual liqueurs to create drinks with visual and aromatic drama. Wray & Nephew—the Jamaican funk rum used by Donn Beach in original tiki formulas—brings heavy ester notes and raw sugarcane character that hold up against Chartreuse's 110 botanicals. Falernum bridges them: spiced, almond-lime, and faintly tropical.
The optional spray of élixir végétal—Chartreuse's 69% medicinal tincture—floats on the surface and makes the herbaceous opening even more pronounced. At Paris-Vauvert, this is served cold and fast. It does not improve with contemplation.
Shake hard. 7cl total. Double strain into a chilled coupe. No garnish.
Do not substitute Wray & Nephew with a standard rum — the overproof Jamaican funk is structural to the drink, not decorative. If falernum is unavailable, a small amount of simple syrup with a drop of almond extract and fresh lime zest can approximate it, but John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum is worth stocking. The drink is bright green and punchy; small coupes are appropriate.