Cuba Libre
A sweet, bubbly and citrus rum cocktail ∙ Build ∙ 2 min ∙ 9% ABV ∙
The Cuba Libre is a highball of white rum, cola, and a touch of lime juice, built over ice and garnished with a lime wedge.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Build all ingredients in an ice-filled highball glass: White rum 50 mlCola 120 mlLime juice 10 ml
- Garnish with a lime wedge
Tips
- Squeeze the lime wedge over the drink before you drop it in; otherwise the lime gets lost under the cola.
History
The Cuba Libre took shape in Havana in the years just after the Spanish-American War of 1898, when Cuba's independence movement's rallying cry, "Cuba Libre" (Free Cuba), was attached to a new highball of rum, cola, and lime. Coca-Cola syrup only began reaching the island around 1900, so the pairing of rum and cola could not have existed before then. A drink already called "Cuba Libre" — a simpler mix of rum or molasses with water — was documented among Cuban independence fighters and appeared in print as early as 1898.
The most widely repeated creation story, promoted by Bacardi, traces to a 1965 affidavit from company advertising employee Fausto Rodriguez. It holds that a U.S. Army Signal Corps officer ordered Bacardi rum with Coca-Cola and a squeeze of lime at Havana's American Bar in August 1900, and that a soldier in the group proposed the name with the toast "Por Cuba Libre." Some historians treat this account as more legend than documented fact, noting it surfaced decades later, coincided with Bacardi's own marketing efforts, and came from a source with a direct financial stake in the story.
The drink was recorded in print by the late 1920s. It spread through the United States over subsequent decades, later reinforced by the 1945 hit song "Rum and Coca-Cola." The combination is also known simply as Rum and Coke, with some distinguishing the Cuba Libre by its inclusion of lime.
FAQ
What is a Cuba Libre cocktail?
A highball of white rum and cola with a touch of lime juice, served over ice in a tall glass with a lime wedge. It is one of the simplest and most widely ordered rum drinks, at about 9% ABV.
Is a Cuba Libre just rum and Coke?
Not quite. A Cuba Libre adds a little lime juice to the rum and cola, and that is what separates it from a plain rum and Coke.
What is the ratio for Cuba Libre?
About two parts rum to five parts cola, with a small splash of lime: 50 ml white rum, 120 ml cola, and 10 ml lime juice.
Which rum is best for Cuba Libre?
A light, clean white rum is the standard choice, since it lets the cola and lime lead without heavy barrel notes; a gold or spiced rum gives a richer, sweeter variation.
Is Captain Morgan good for Cuba Libre?
It works, but Captain Morgan is a spiced rum, so the drink comes out sweeter and spicier. For the classic clean mix of cola and lime, a plain white rum is the better match.
