El Presidente Cocktail Recipe

Before you start

El Presidente is a stirred rum cocktail from Cuba's golden era of bartending, built more like a Manhattan than a daiquiri. Lightly aged white rum is softened with blanc vermouth, sweetened with orange curaçao, and given a blush of color by grenadine. The result is elegant, lightly sweet and aromatic, with a dry finish.

The vermouth choice matters most. Many modern bartenders use blanc (bianco) vermouth, a pale, sweet, floral style, rather than dry French vermouth or sweet red vermouth. It complements the rum's light vanilla and adds a gentle floral note. Use grenadine sparingly; it is there for color and a hint of fruit, not sweetness.

Ingredients

• 45 ml (1½ oz) white rum — lightly aged Cuban or Spanish style
• 22 ml (¾ oz) blanc vermouth — refrigerated after opening
• 7 ml (¼ oz) orange curaçao
• 5 ml (1 tsp) grenadine — pomegranate-based
• 1 cup (about 150 g) ice cubes — for stirring
• 1 strip orange peel — garnish

Method

1. Chill the coupe in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
2. Add the rum, blanc vermouth, curaçao and grenadine to the mixing glass.
3. Fill the glass three-quarters full with ice and stir for 20 to 25 seconds, until very cold.
4. Strain into the chilled coupe, holding back the ice with the strainer.
5. Express the orange peel over the drink, rub it around the rim and drop it in.

Tips for success

• Blanc vermouth oxidizes like any vermouth. Keep it refrigerated and use it within a month or so.
• Measure the grenadine precisely. Even 5 ml extra pushes the drink toward candy.
• A dry orange curaçao gives a cleaner, more spirit-forward drink than a sweet triple sec.

Substitutions

Blanc vermouth

Dry French vermouth makes a sharper, more austere drink; add a few drops more curaçao to balance.

Orange curaçao

Triple sec works but is sweeter and lighter; reduce to 5 ml.

White rum

An aged gold rum adds more vanilla and oak, making a richer drink.

Variations

Dry Presidente

Use dry vermouth instead of blanc and skip the grenadine for a crisper version.

Troubleshooting

It is too sweet

Cut back the grenadine and curaçao, or use a drier vermouth.

It tastes thin

The rum may be too light. Use a lightly aged rum with some body.

It tastes stale

Replace your vermouth and keep it in the fridge.

Storage

Serve immediately after stirring. A batch without dilution keeps in a sealed bottle in the fridge for a couple of weeks thanks to its spirit and fortified wine content; add about 20 percent water before chilling to serve.

Safety notes

The rum, vermouth and curaçao in this cocktail add up to about 1.4 U.S. standard drinks (one standard drink is about 14 g of pure alcohol). Serve only to adults of legal drinking age, and do not drink and drive.