El Presidente

Photo: T.J. McLachlan

The history of individual cocktails during the prohibition era can be quite hazy. Case in point - our third drink being profiled: El Presidente.

During the Great Experiment, American bartenders left the United States to tend bars overseas in exotic countries that were warm and open to alcohol. One of those countries was Cuba where bartenders (whether they were American or Cuban) invented several classic cocktails to assauge the tastes of American tourists. It was at this time that we received the Mary Pickford, the Rosita (for a great glimpse of what the Rosita looks like, check out Andrew's facebook profile), the Daiquiri (including Hemingway's version, as seen in the post below), the Cuba Libra, and, of course, El Presidente.  

Now, it is reasonable to assume that this classic cocktail was name for or after a president, but which one is definitely up for debate. One story is that it was invented by Eddie Woelke, an American Bartender who fled the US to set up shop in Cuba (after trips to Nice and Paris), at the Jockey Club in Cuba for then president Gerardo Machado.

An opposing view is that an unknown bartender at the Vista Alegre Club in Santiago, for an earlier presidente, Mario Garcia Menocal. Whatever the story, it undoubtedly arose in Cuba and its history is murky - but that should be expected as it is a history that goes down in bars, when people are drinking.

(Mario Garcia Menocal)                                  (Gerardo Machado)

The drink calls for aged White Rum (1 1/2 oz), Dry Vermouth (3/4 oz), Orange Curacao (1/4 oz), and Grenadine (1/2 tsp). There is always a temptation to overuse Orange Curacao, but in this case it is best to let the Aged Rum's character take centre stage, paring down on the orange liqueur's sweetness, and finishing the sip with the dry vermouth. Our homemade grenadine is a great touch to this drink, giving the drink its great colour and adding a final flavour to the palate. 

Hemingway

Photo: T.J. McLachlan

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut. An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with fools."

When Ernest Hemingway penned these words in his 1940 Classic, For Whom the Bells Toll, it is reasonable to assume that he toasted his work with one of his many unique cocktails. While Hemingway was not a cocktail mixer himself, he had, much like his ability to select the right words,  the ability to request an excellent blend of flavour in his drinks. 
 

 
In the beginning (around 1939) the drink was named "Daiquiri como Papa" or "Daiquiri a la servaje", then "Papa Doble" and finally it became "Hemingway Especial" after Constante Ribalaigua made the final recipe (whereupon Maraschino Liqueur was added). This cocktail calls for white Rum, fresh lime juice, fresh grapefruit juice and Maraschino Liqueur.
 

Constante Ribalaigua was the legendary bartender at La Florida (also knowns as El Floridita), which became renowned in the early 1900s as Havana's "Cathedral of Cocktails", and frequented by the literary hero for whom this drink is named. We are excited to bring grapefruit juice to the forefront in this excellent cocktail; its funkiness works exceptionally well with the earthy aroma of Maraschino liqueur, and both settle in well with the lime juice and aged white Rum.

We hope Hemingway would approve.