Easy
Sweet
2 minutes
Highball Glass
Ingredients
Cuba Libre, also known as a Rum and Cola, is an easy-to-make mixed drink that dates back more than 120 years.
The classic drink recipe for Cuba Libre mixes white cuban rum, cola with a splash of fresh lime juice. Yes, it’s a timeless cocktail of the highest order!
How to Make a cuba libre Cocktail
Bar tools you’ll need
Jigger
Knife
Citrus Press
Bar Spoon
How to Mix
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Fill a highball glass with ice cubes.
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Use a jigger (or other measuring tool) to measure and pour cuban rum into the glass.
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Top up the rest of the glass with cola.
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Cut your lime(s) in half. Save a lime wedge for garnishing later.
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Use a citrus press (or citrus elbow) to juice the lime halves.
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Measure and add lime juice into the glass.
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Stir everything gently with a bar spoon.
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Garnish with a lime wedge.
Watch how to make a Cuba Libre
All about the Cuba Libre
A mixed drink made with Cuban rum, cola and lime juice, served in a highball glass filled with ice.
It’s like a sweet rum and coke, but the lime juice adds a tart touch that cuts through the sugary cola and spiced rum, bringing a much-welcome zesty flavor. Delicious!
The Cuba Libre is believed to have originated in Havana, Cuba, following the Spanish-American War around 1900. American soldiers started mixing rum with cola and a squeeze of lime. The drink name “Cuba Libre” means “For a Free Cuba” in Spanish.
- Choose your rum wisely
Whether you like a white rum, fruity rum or a funky rum, choose your own favorite type of rum that marries well with cola. - Use fresh lime juice
When you’re making a drink as simple as this, the quality of your ingredients is everything. In other words, don’t buy bottled lime juice from your supermarket. Instead, squeeze some fresh limes. That sharp, zesty quality that you get from fresh lime is essential to cut through the sweetness of the rum and cola.
- Experiment with different rums
Funky, spicy, fruity, rich, dark – the sky is the limit! So, mix up your rums to create new flavor profiles. - Add aromatic bitters
A couple of dashes of aromatic bitters will add complexity to your drink, adding some interesting herbal elements to your drink
- Serve a Cuba Libre in a highball glass filled with the case. A highball is the perfect glass to accommodate the cola.
- Garnish your Cuba Libre cocktail with a lime wedge for the perfect, classic touch.
Cuba Libre FAQ
Not quite. A Cuba Libre is made with rum and cola, but with a splash of lime juice.
There isn’t just one specific type of rum designated for a Cuba Libre, but the most popular choice is typically a Cuban or Spanish white rum.
