It’s the time-honoured combination of rum and cola with a lime, otherwise known by its official name, the Cuba Libre.
Dating back to 1900, the Cuba Libre cocktail was created in Cuba during the American occupation of the island. Legend has it that the cocktail was first ordered by an American, one Captain Russell, at The American Bar in Havana, where soldiers were celebrating the end of the war.
The story goes that Russell asked for a rum with cola and a lime, and chants of “Por Cuba Libre!” (“for a free Cuba,” celebrating their independence from Spain) began among the soldiers and their Cuban counterparts—and the name of the cocktail was christened.
The Cuba Libre is the most popular cocktail in the world, and thousands of them are prepared each day. After more than a century, the recipe for a Cuba Libre has stayed the same. You might think of the Cuba Libre as a simple rum and Coke, but there’s more to it than just that.
If you’re only familiar with Rum and Coke as a sticky-sweet party drink, the lime-infused version may surprise you. The lime marries well with the rum, it also delightfully complements the flavours of Coke by providing just enough tartness to cut through the sweetness of the cocktail.
Ingredients
1 lime
2 shots of dark rum
Coca-Cola
Instructions
- Squeeze a lime into a Collins or highball glass.
- Drop half the spent lime shell into the glass and muddle the oils into the lime juice.
- Add ice and rum. Top with cola and stir briefly. Enjoy!
