El Presidente

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Cocktail History

The El Presidente is a classic cocktail that was created in Havana, Cuba in the early 1900s. It was named for Mario García Menocal, Cuba’s president from 1913 to 1921, and it’s traditionally made with white rum, dry vermouth, citrus, and grenadine. The recipe became especially popular among Americans during Prohibition when they traveled to Cuba to enjoy mixed drinks while they were outlawed in the United States.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

White Rum: This is a type of rum made with fermented sugarcane juice or molasses and yeast, which are distilled and then typically left unaged or briefly aged and filtered to develop a light, spiced flavor.

Dry Vermouth: This is a type of wine made with white wine and a blend of herbs and botanicals, which are fermented, fortified with a neutral spirit, and then lightly sweetened to develop a crisp, aromatic flavor.

Orange Curaçao: This is a liqueur made with bitter orange peels, brandy or distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a sweet, rich citrus flavor.

Grenadine: This is a sweetener made with pomegranate juice and white sugar, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a deep, sweet-tart flavor.

Orange Peel: This the peel of an orange that is cut into a strip.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. I used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. I used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.

Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Vibrant pink-red color

• Aroma: Citrus and fortified wine

• Taste: Spicy rum flavor mixed with telltale vermouth

• Finish: Pomegranate and a hint of citrus

Kendall’s Take: “I hadn’t heard of this classic before finding it in the book and thought it was tart, refreshing, and tasty. I could also see it being especially delicious with savory meals. I’d make the El Presidente again, just with a little less vermouth next time. The original recipe called more, and I thought that overpowered the other ingredients too much.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.