Hotel Nacional

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Cocktail History

The Hotel Nacional is a classic cocktail that was created by Will P. Taylor in the early 1900s in Havana, Cuba. It was named for the hotel in Cuba and is traditionally made with aged rum, apricot brandy, pineapple, citrus, and stone fruit bitters.

Cocktail Ingredients

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

Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with fermented sugarcane juice or molasses and yeast, which are distilled and then aged, often in charred barrels, to develop a full-bodied, caramelized flavor.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe limes that has a zesty, sour flavor and light green color.

Apricot Brandy: This is a type of brandy made with fermented apricot juice and yeast, which are distilled and aged to develop a smooth, stone fruit flavor.

Pineapple Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe pineapples that has a sweet, tangy tropical flavor and bright yellow color.

Peach Bitters: This is a concentrated flavoring made with peaches, herbs, spices, botanicals, and distilled alcohol, which are macerated or steeped to develop a slightly bitter, stone fruit flavor.

Pineapple Slice: This is pineapple flesh that has been cut into a slice.

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.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

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

Chef’s Knife: This is used to cut larger fruits and vegetables into slices for the garnish. I used the OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife.

Pineapple Corer: This is used to remove the core of the pineapple before it’s juiced. I used the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus, fruits, and vegetables. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer for the lime and the Hamilton Beach Large Juicer for the pineapple.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Bright yellow color

• Aroma: Pineapple and citrus

• Taste: Fruity pineapple flavor with a distinct spicy rum and brandy twinge

• Finish: Sour citrus and peach notes

Kendall’s Take: “This was the very first tropical pineapple cocktail I ever tried, and years later, I still love it. I think it’s the stone fruit notes that keep me coming back to this relatively simple template. They add a uniqueness that I always find myself craving when summertime rolls around. Make this if you can and see what you think too!”

Recipe

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