El Presidente
Cuba's rum Manhattan
Cuba's elegant rum aperitif: white rum stirred with vermouth, a touch of orange curaçao, and the barest blush of grenadine. Traditionally built on blanc (bianco) vermouth for a softer, sweeter frame; made with dry vermouth, as here, it turns crisper and more aperitif-like — both camps are authentic.
Ingredients
- 2 oz White Rum
- 3/4 oz Dry Vermouth
- 1/2 oz Orange Curaçao
- 1/4 oz Grenadine
Method
Add white rum, dry vermouth, orange curaçao, and grenadine to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with an orange twist.
Earliest published recipe appears in John B. Escalante's 1915 *Manual del Cantinero* (Havana). The drink is commonly attributed to bartender Constantino Ribalaigua based on a 1937 article by Jack Cuddy, who interviewed Ribalaigua in Havana. Per Difford's Guide #701. Notes: The original 1915 recipe included grenadine and used blanc vermouth (vermouth de Chambéry style); Ribalaigua modified it in the 1930s by removing grenadine. Blanc vermouth remains the standard in modern recipes.
View source