Cuba Libre (Preparado)

About this Cocktail

Havana, Cuba (1900)
Townhouse Bar & Grill, Emeryville, CA (1995)

The original Cuba Libre goes back to just after the 1898 Spanish-American War in Cuba. U.S. soldiers stuck around and brought Coca-Cola with them, adding it to the typical rum and lime in an easy blend: a shot of rum, a squeeze of lime, top it off with Coke and toast with the battle cry of the day: “Free Cuba!”

Flash forward to the ’90s: Paul Harrington is working the bar at Townhouse up in Emeryville. He gets with two people from Wired magazine to launch a cocktail section on their web site that helps spur the current cocktail renaissance. His tweak to this tired old drink, suggested by a Venezuelan customer: Add a hit of gin and Angostura, cut back on the Coke – suddenly the high-school drink is all growed up.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz light rum
• 1/2 oz London Dry gin
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Preparation:

In a shaker about a third-full with ice cubes, add:

1 1/2 oz light rum
1/2 oz London Dry gin
3/4 oz lime juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Shake well to blend and chill, then strain into a Collins glass filled about two-thirds of the way up with cracked ice. Top with:

3 oz Coca-Cola

Stir lightly to blend and garnish with a lime wedge. Optionally, serve with a straw.