Cubano
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 24% ABV ∙
The Cubano is a stirred, equal-parts cocktail of Caribbean aged rum, amaro, and cherry liqueur, finished with a whisper of chocolate bitters. Dark and layered, with rum's molasses depth meeting bitter amaro and a cherry undertone, drying to a faint cocoa edge — a slow, after-dinner sipper.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Caribbean aged rum 30 mlAmaro 30 mlCherry liqueur 30 mlChocolate bitters 4 dashes
- Strain into the ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice)
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Stir over large cubes for 20-25 seconds; equal parts rum, amaro and cherry liqueur mean over-dilution flattens the balance fast.
- Chill the old-fashioned glass beforehand since this equal-parts build has no citrus or juice to mask a lukewarm pour.
- Add the chocolate bitters last, dashing directly into the mixing glass so they integrate evenly before straining over a single large rock.
- Express the orange twist over the surface and rub it around the rim before dropping it in, since the oils lift the amaro's bitterness.
History
The Cubano — a rum-based bittersweet stirred drink combining aged rum, an amaro such as Montenegro, cherry brandy, and chocolate bitters — has no documented creator or date of invention. It was first noted at a bar in Glasgow, Scotland, but its origins beyond that remain unknown.
