Cuba Libre

The Cuba Libre cocktail has a long history, and today this refreshing cocktail is consumed all over the world.

The origins of Cuba Libre
The true origins of the famous Cuban cocktail remain shrouded in mystery. However, there is a version of the origin that dates back to the Second World War. 

During World War II, the US military set outposts in the Caribbean to block the German fleet. American soldiers became avid fans of local rum, while the Caribbean populations began to consume cola imported from the USA. The craze for the Cuba Libre cocktail then went beyond the American and Cuban borders to reach the whole world! According to Cuban rum brand Bacardi, Cuba Libre is even the second most popular alcoholic drink in the world.

Cuba Libre and the American embargo
In 1969, Fidel Castro and his cronies took power in Cuba and kicked Fulgencio Batista out of the country. A year later, the USA severely restricted economic exchanges with Cuba before extending the embargo to all trade between these two lands in 1962.The cocktail could not escape the influence of the embargo. Because the Americans could not get Cuban rum for a cocktail, and Cubans — Coca-Cola.

Cuba Libre recipe
The ingredients indicated here are those of the traditional recipe. There are many variations, in which white rum can be replaced by dark rum, or the juice of a whole lime is used, etc.

Ingredients

– 5 cl of rum (opt for white rum if you want to follow the original recipe, although it is just as common today to use dark rum);
– 12 cl of Coca-Cola;
– 1 cl of lime juice.

How to prepare a Cuba Libre?

– Generously fill your highball with ice;
– Pour the lime juice over the ice;
– Add rum;
– Finish with the cola;
– Mix;
– Enjoy!

Included in the list of IBA official cocktails.