Our dear reader, Noah Drabløs, is from Norway, and he is a big fan of rum drinks, including the Cuba Libre. However, he recently stopped drinking soda, and so he was no longer able to enjoy a Cuba Libre. So he decided to make a Cuba Libre riff that would have a flavour inspired by the Coca Cola in a Cuba Libre, without actually having any Coca Cola in it. He decided on the name Viva Cuba both because it is a riff of the Cuba Libre, and because he wanted the drink to bring attention to the embargo on Cuba, and name it in honour of the cuban people. Which is also why the drink specifically calls for Havana Club rum, as it is produced in Cuba, and more people buying might help the cuban economy and the cuban people who are suffering because of the U.S blockade. Like the Cuba Libre, the Viva Cuba is quite a sweet drink, and so if you do wish to make a less sweet version, you can sub out the regular cinnamon syrup for a more concentrated variant, and only use 2 cl instead of 4, achieving the same degree of cinnamon flavour without as much sugar.
Viva Cuba
Ingredients
- 1 oz Dark Rum Havana Club
- 1/3 oz Lemon Juice
- 1/3 oz Lime Juice optional
- 1 1/3 oz Cinnamon Syrup
- 3 drops Vanilla Extract
- 6/10 oz Soda Water
Garnish
- Lemon Wedge or Lime Wedge
Instructions
- Add ingredients into a shaker.
- Add ice.
- Shake for 10 seconds.
- Pour into an old-fashioned glass or Collins glass with ice.
- Add the carbonated water and stir.
- Garnish.
- Enjoy!
Recommended Bar Tools:
As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn a small commission on qualified sales. By clicking these links before buying you are helping us out. Thanks!
