This month’s featured cocktail by Natalie at BeautifulBooze.com is the El Presidente. I think I get the short end of the deal: she gets to make and drink these lovely cocktails, and I write about them! Sorry, I was distracted looking at her fabulous pictures. Anyway – it’s a Cuban drink, originally created by an American bartender in Havana and named for the president of Cuba. This was during American Prohibition (perhaps why he was tending bar in Cuba!) and it was popular for the next ten or fifteen years, and as with many cocktails, is now considered “vintage” or “lost”.  But fear not!  We are bringing back vintage cocktails, one glass at a time!  There does seem to be some variation on the recipe (I’ve seen it called a spin-off of a daiquiri, so they used pineapple juice), but our version is courtesy of the folks at Imbibe magazine.

For the rum, Natalie used Striped Pig Distillery’s rum, which is made with premium molasses from Savannah, GA.  I’ve not had the pleasure of trying Striped Pig spirits (yet), but they sound fantastic!

El Presidente

1½ oz. rich white rum
1½ oz. Dolin Vermouth Blanc (Martini & Rossi or Cinzano Bianco are fine substitutes)
1 barspoon orange Curaçao or Grand Marnier (Natalie used Grand Marnier)
½ barspoon real grenadine
Thinly cut orange peel
Cracked ice
Garnish: maraschino cherry (optional)

Fill your shaker or pint glass 3/4 with cracked ice; pour in the first 4 ingredients. Stir this one, don’t shake it – and strain into a glass (a coupe would do nicely, or whatever you have). You can twist the orange peel over the drink if you’ve got it, to give it a shot of orange essence, and garnish with a cherry (these are the best!  Luxardo Gourmet Maraschino Cherries – 400g Jar)

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