How to Make a Cuba Libre Cocktail in the Old Fashioned Style

You may be familiar with the Cuba Libre, a popular mixed drink. This easy blended drink is similar to a rum and Coke, but it is differentiated from the usual by the inclusion of fresh lime juice, which lightens the mix and cuts through the sweetness of the cola.

To keep the drink real, the lime should be new (not from a bottle). The name translates to “free Cuba,” a term popularized towards the end of the Spanish-American War and used to commemorate Cuba’s independence from Spanish rule.

You should have half a lime, some ice, 60 ml of white rum and 120 ml of cola.

Get all you ingredients together. In a Collins or highball glass, squeeze the juice of half a lime. Add some ice and pour the rum over it. Last, top up with the cola and give a gentle stir!

The Cuba libre is a light-bodied cocktail. Depending on the strength of the rum and the amount of cola you use, the actual alcohol content can vary. However, it will only mix up to 11 percent ABV on average (22 proof).