Lost Cuban Cocktails

 

We 've spent more than 10 years combing through the cocktails and mixed drinks in Havana, Cuba. from the first time we landed there in August 2008 until May 2019. Here are a few the treasures we mined from the dozens of books we collected along the way at the bookseller stalls in Habana Vieja.

MARAGATTO SPECIAL

Created by Emilio 'Maragato' Gonazalez in the 1920s at the Hotel Plaza

30 ml Havana Club 3Y
25 ml dry vermouth
25 ml sweet vermouth (rosso)
5 ml maraschino liqueur
Shake and strain to a chilled cocktail glass.

SLOPPY JOE'S COCKTAIL

Created by Jose Abeal y Otero circa 1920s at Sloppy Joe's

 

45 ml Havana Club Añejo 3-year 

45 ml dry vermouth

juice of 1 lime

dashes of curaçao

dashes of grenadine

Shake over ice. Strain.

CUBA BELLA

Created by Fabio Degado in the 1940s/1950s at Sloppy Joe's

45 ml Havana Club Añejo 3-year

120 ml fresh orange juice

15 ml créme de menthe

15 ml grenadine

Pour crème de menthe in a collins glass. Add 3 large ice cubes. Layer orange juice on top. Mix rum and grenadine in a separate glass. Then layer into drink.

MANHATTAN CUBANO

Introduced by Harry Craddock in the 1920s at the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel, London

45 ml Havana Club Añejo 7-year

45 ml Martini Rosso

10 ml créme de cacao

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Shake over ice. Double strain into a coupette. Garnish with an orange twist.

 

MAZAGRAN

45 ml Havana Club Añejo 7-year

130 ml strong brewed Cuban coffee

1 heaping barspoon CUBAN sugar

4 dashes fresh lemon juice

1 spray pure vanilla essence

Shake over ice (except for the vanilla) strain into a wine goblet filled with cracked ice. Garnish with a spray of pure vanilla.essence.

1922 PINA COLADA

45 ml Havana Club Añejo 3-year

120 ml fresh pineapple juice

4 dashes fresh lime juice

1 barspoon Cuban sugar

Shake over ice strain into a wine goblet filled with cracked ice.

CABALLITO

30 ml Havana Club Añejo 3-year

30 ml sweet vermouth

1 barspoon CUBAN sugar

Juice of 1/2 lime

Mint leaves

Shake over ice. Strain.

HARRY M STEVENS COCKTAIL

1 part Havana Club Añejo 3-year

1 part dry vermouth

1 part orange juice

1 part apricot brandy

dashes of grenadine

dashes of curaçao

Shake over ice. Strain. Squeeze orange peel over the top but do not immerse.

RAFAEL MOREAU COCKTAIL

1 part Havana Club Añejo 3-year

1 part Dubonnet

dashes of curaçao

Stir over ice. Strain.

MENENDEZ

45 ml Havana Club Añejo 7-Year

45 ml Lillet Blanc

20 ml fresh orange juice

15 ml fresh pineapple juice

Shake over ice and double strain into a coupette. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

JAI ALAI SPECIAL

60 ml Havana Club Añejo 3-year

60 ml fresh lime juice

30 ml white créme de cacao

120 ml fresh orange juice

Shake all ingredients except for orange juice over ice. Strain into a collins glass.  Add crushed ice.  Fill glass with orange juice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

CHAPARA

45 ml Havana Club Añejo 3-year

45 ml dry vermouth

Stir over ice. Strain. Garnish with a lemon twist.

HAVANA CLUB SPECIAL

45 ml Havana Club Añejo 3-year

10 ml fresh lime juice

1 bar spoon Cuban sugar

Shake over ice. Strain.

HAVANA CLUB BLOSSOM

45 ml Havana Club Añejo 3-year

45 ml fresh orange juice

Shake over ice. Strain.

For more about the history of Cuban rum< the origins of the classic Cuban cocktails, and even more lost Cuban Cocktails, read:

Spirit of the Cane by Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown

Cuban Cocktails by Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown

El Arte de Hacer un Cocktail y Algo Mas, translated by Barbara Renard with a foreword by Anistatia Miller

and visit the free digital library of vintage cocktail books at EUVA Digital Collection

Cheers

Anistatia