The name of this cocktail comes from the shouts of joy of the people of Cuba when they took to the streets to celebrate the liberation of their island from Spain, in 1898. Cuba was soon flooded with American products, particularly Coca Cola, a soft drink born a few years before.

Cuba Libre was “invented” on that occasion, it was the first time the Rum cocktail was made using Coca Cola instead of the usual caramel.

Should the reader be interested in trying it at home , it is a very easy cocktail to make; all it requires is a highball glass, 3 parts white rum, 2 parts cola, 1 part lime juice and a slice of lime to garnish.

As a general rule, it is recommended to drink responsibly when one comes across the said revolutionary cocktail.

Rangira Albert