A Cuba Libre is a rum and Coke with lime. Only the rum and Coke lacks a certain something—besides the lime. A rum and Coke is the order that you, 21 years and one hour old, stammered at the bartender because you were finally out from underneath the thumbs of the mom who only let you drink caffeine-free pop and the ruthless ID-checking bouncers. And because it was the only "cocktail" you knew by name.
Those are the days best left to yore.
The Cuba Libre is superior in that the addition of citrus acts like the bridge between the sweetness of the cola and the rum. And the spent lime shell brings in a bit of bitterness, as well as visual interest—it makes it look like a proper cocktail. But more than that, the drink comes with a heap of history and a fighting spirit. It's that certain something that you ought to know all about if you're going to make a Cuba Libre yourself.
A Little Background
Cuba libre! was the rallying cry of Cuban revolutionists against Spanish rule at the tail-end of the 19th century. It was enough to spark the interest of interventionists here in the U.S., who stomped in on behalf of Cuban freedom from European colonial rule and started the Spanish-American War—the one with the yellow fever, the yellow journalism, and Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders. Spain was vanquished... and the United States happily inserted itself into the role of foreign power-holder on the island. You know how well that went. So well that Cuban rum is still forbidden from being sold in America.
Hidden in this history lesson is the origin story of the Cuba Libre cocktail. After the Spanish hightailed it back across the Atlantic, Americans filtered into Cuba, including Coca-Cola in 1900, which was then mixed with Cuban rum and finished with lime—likely inspired by a drink Cuban revolutionaries had drunk before the U.S. got involved. Technically, you could go to Cuba, return with some rum, and make the cocktail as faithfully as possible. The only bummer is, back in 1900, Coca-Cola still had trace amounts of hard drugs in it, so your version won't be exactly historically accurate.
If You Like This, Try These
A Cuba Libre is a highball cocktail, and there are plenty more ways to mix up one of those, since it is at its core liquor and fizz. As for other Cuban cocktails calling for Cuban rum, try your hand at the Mojito or the Daiquiri.
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