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A proper daiquiri is not hard to make: shake two measures of rum over ice with three-quarter parts of both simple syrup and fresh lime juice. A blender should play no part in preparing this refreshing and classic cocktail. As with most classic cocktails, its origins are often debated. One popular story claims it was invented in the nineteenth century by American engineers working in a Cuban mining town called Daiquirí. Given that they were stuck on a tropical island with an abundance of rum, sugar, and lime, it’s not hard to imagine that this balanced and refreshing drink would quickly come to be. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve adjusted our daiquiris for the climate by replacing some of the rum with the remarkable Eau de Vie of Douglas Fir distilled by Steve McCarthy at Portland’s Clear Creek Distillery. Chris Young first tried Steve’s labor of love ten years ago when Steve was still developing his recipe for this obscure Alsatian distillate (known as eau de vie de bourgeons de sapin). It’s made by infusing springtime buds of Douglas fir into neutral brandy, and then redistilling and reinfusing more buds. It has a vibrant green color and the aroma of Christmas in a bottle. Shaken into our daiquiri, it makes this summertime cocktail perfectly fashionable for any season.