The Cuba Libre

¡Atención, Camaradas!

In this blog post, we are going to take a look at what is probably the most well-known rum cocktail in the world: the Cuba Libre.

The History

The Cuba Libre originated in Cuba in the early 1900s, following the Spanish-American War, during which Cuba gained its independence. The name originally comes from a drink in which rum was blended with water and dark sugar, but thanks to Cuba's independence, the latter was quickly replaced by Coca-Cola, as the import of the soft drink was in full swing at the time.

The cocktail became popular very quickly, partly due to its simplicity and freshness. From Cuba, the cocktail quickly began to conquer the world. First the United States, but subsequently beyond as well.

The status

The Cuba Libre is not a high flyer among critics, but among the general public it is known as a simple cocktail that can be made quickly and cheaply and that you really can't get wrong. The cocktail is indeed not associated with flamboyant and complex cocktails, and is not really intended in that sense, but the taste still reminds you of summer, and it is very refreshing.

Recipe

In a sense, the recipe is very simple: Rum, Coca-Cola, and ice are the only ingredients that are always part of the cocktail. However, you can take this cocktail to a higher level with a few small additions.

Here you can find my recipe for a very flavorful Cuba Libre:

• Fill a glass with ice. Make sure the ice cubes are neither too thick nor too small.

• Add 5cl of Santiago De Cuba Carta Blanca.

• Squeeze the juice of 1/4 lime into the glass.

• Top up with Coca-Cola.

• Swizzle with a swizzle stick or stirrer so that the rum, lime juice, and cola are well mixed.

• Then add 1-2 drops of Angostura bitters.

Serve with a lime peel in the glass for extra freshness and color.

¡Ahora, a trabajar, sinvergüenzas!