After sitting down with Lucy Beard, the co-owner and founder of Hope Distillery, we learnt how their new bar, StrangeLove Cocktail Lounge, is now one of the very few bars in the world located in a working distillery. You can read our full interview with Lucy and find out more about Hope on Hopkins Street and the cocktail bar above the working distillery floor.
We asked Derrick “Decks”, the resident bartender, if he wouldn’t mind sharing a recipe that we could all try at home. He presented us with a little-known, but classic cocktail that packs a punch and is sure to impress anyone who tries it!
Image from Unsplash: Spencer Everett
A brief history of the El Presidente cocktail
Hailing from the early 1900s in Cuba, the El Presidente’s exact origin is one of speculation. Some stories go that the cocktail was named after President Mario Garcia Menocal who ran the country from 1913 to 1921, others say the cocktail was named after Gerardo Machado, president from 1925 to 1933. Another is that the cocktail was created by an American named Eddie Woelke who named it after an army general he knew in Havana.
Whatever its origins, the cocktail became increasingly popular during the prohibition as Americans flocked to Cuba for the sole purpose of sipping on a cocktail (or two). As soon as they disembarked the boats and ferries, tourists were greeted by eager locals offering up cocktails and liqueurs.
Although the true history of the El Presidente cocktail is a mystery, one thing we know for sure is – it’s delicious!
Ingredients
- 50ml Hope Rhum Agricole
- 15ml Bianco vermouth
- 5ml Triple Sec
- 5ml Grenadine
Method
- Combine all the ingredients together in a pitcher or glass that is filled with ice.
- Stir vigorously for 45 seconds.
- Next, strain the mixture into a chilled coupe glass or opt for the classic, and elegant Nick & Nora cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a twist of lemon zest and serve immediately.
¡Salud!
Pro tip: Make extra, trust us.
The Story Of StrangeLove
Want to know more about this proudly South African distillery and cocktail lounge? Read our interview with co-founder, Lucy Beard, for a short history on how StrangeLove came to be.
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