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Cuba libre
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Cuba libre

Rum and cola with lime

Cuba libre: white rum, cola and plenty of fresh lime over ice, a Havana highball for adults only

The Cuba libre was born in Havana around 1900 and is still the easy highball poured at bars along the Malecón and at backyard parties from Miami to Madrid. It is a drink for adults only: light Cuban-style rum, cold cola and a generous squeeze of fresh lime, with the spent lime wedge dropped in the glass. Without the lime it is just rum and cola; with it the drink turns sharp and refreshing. The usual mistake is warm cola poured over too little ice, which melts fast and leaves it flat and watery, so fill the glass with ice and keep the cola chilled. For an alcohol-free version, leave out the rum and add 30 ml cold sparkling water with a dash of vanilla. Drink responsibly. Chef's tip: squeeze the lime and rub the wedge round the rim before adding ice, so every sip carries the lime oil.

Prep
3 min
Cook
0 min
Difficulty
Easy
Serves
1
Per serving
150 kcal
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Ingredients

Serves1
  • ½ limecut into 2 wedges
  • 6 ice cubes
  • 3 ½ tbsp white rum
  • ½ cup colawell chilled

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Method

0/3 done
  1. Step 1: Squeeze ½ lime into a tall highball glass, rub one wedge round the rim and drop both wedges in.

  2. Step 2: Fill the glass to the top with 6 ice cubes and pour over 3 ½ tbsp white rum.

  3. Step 3: Top up slowly with ½ cup cola, give one gentle stir and serve at once. For the alcohol-free version, replace the rum with cold sparkling water and a dash of vanilla.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
150 kcal
Protein
0 g
Carbs
15 g
Fat
0 g
Fibre
0 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does cuba libre take?
About 3 minutes in total.
How many people does it serve?
1 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegan?
Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of lime?
Lemon, same amount.

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