National Rum Day and the El Presidente
Tags: 10 cane, cocktail, curaçao, el presidente, grenadine, harlequin, national rum day, pama, pomegranate, recipe, Rum, vya
Here in the United States, we have a day for everything. There’s a national pound cake day, national pecan day, and even something on a stick day.
August 16 particularly appeals to me because it’s National Rum Day. Just how this designation was set I haven’t been able to ascertain, but who cares? It’s an excuse to make a delicious rum cocktail!
One of my favorite rum-based drinks is the El Presidente. I first discovered it in Wayne Curtis’s article in Lost Magazine. I complete agree with him that this 1920′s classic should be remembered and brought back to popularity. It’s become a staple in my repetoire, and I love to experiment with different variations.
The original drink calls for a Cuban white or light rum, of course. As I cannot get Havana Club here in the US, I usually use Appleton white or Cruzan light. Everyone once in a while, I do splurge on 10 Cane. It’s made from the first pressing of sugar cane instead of molasses, and the result is a very different tasting rum. You can sense the grassy notes that are also found in rhum agricole and cachaça (also made from sugar cane directly and not molasses), but not in an unpleasant way. It’s sweeter that other light rums, and to my nose and throat, has less burn.
I finally splurged on a bottle of Vya extra dry vermouth (the sweet vermouth is a favorite). Lately, I’ve been enamoured of using Lillet Blanc in place of dry vermouth, but now I’m giving the Vya a try. I think it’s an excellent choice in the El Presidente. The complexity of the Vya was a nice combination with the 10 Cane; I think with Lillet this would just be too sweet.
I also tried using Pama pomegrante liqueur this time instead of grenadine. It’s less sweet than grenadine, and also adds less color. I can taste it in the background; I’m not sure it’s the right choice. In the future, when I finally make my own grenadine, I think I’ll go with that instead. Especially with the Vya, the drink needs the sweetness that grenadine brings.
El Presidente
1 1/2 oz light Cuban-style rum (10 Cane)
3/4 oz dry vermouth (Vya extra dry)
3/4 oz orange curaçao (Harlequin)
1/8 oz grenadine (Pama pomegrante liqueur)
Stir over ice for 30 seconds, strain into cocktail glass. No garnish necessary.
What’s your favorite El Presidente variation?
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haineux said:
Sep 03, 10 at 2:10 amhaineux said:
Aug 16, 08 at 10:25 pmI just made one with Pyrat Rum, Patr�n Citronge, Noilly Prat dry vermouth, and a few drops of good ol’ Rose’s Grenade Juice, and it came out excellent.
Next time I’ll emphasize the rum and vermouth more.
It might just be unkillable, like the Sidecar. (My fave bar drink — it’s easy, everyone can make it, and it almost always tastes great even with the crappiest bar ingredients.)
haineux said:
Aug 16, 08 at 10:31 pmYep, a little more rum and vermouth, a little less orange and grenadine, and it’s even better.
ext_112291 said:
Aug 20, 08 at 4:09 amGreat post! i just wish i could find Vya.
I really cannot enough recommend the recipe #3 here from Seamus:
http://bunnyhugs.org/2008/03/18/making-quality-grenadine/
Cheers!
Tiare
http://amountainofcrushedice.blogspot.com
anonymous said:
Sep 01, 08 at 7:49 pmGreat drink this! If you can find it locally, you might give the Dominican Brugal white a try here.
I expecially enjoy these with the Brugal, Noilly-Prat vermouth, Marie Brizard Curacao & my own Hibiscus Grenadine
Cheers!
Chris
An Exercise in Hospitality…Adventures with Cocktails & Food
Make Your Own Grenadine | Two At The Most said:
Aug 25, 09 at 7:44 pm[...] now I know how many great cocktails include grenadine. A couple of personal favorites are the El Presidente and the Blinker. And now that I know how easy it is to make my own grenadine, I’ll never go [...]
Make Your Own Grenadine | The Mixoloseum said:
Aug 25, 09 at 7:47 pm[...] now I know how many great cocktails include grenadine. A couple of personal favorites are the El Presidente and the Blinker. And now that I know how easy it is to make my own grenadine, I’ll never go [...]
Cocktail Recipe: El Presidente said:
Oct 13, 09 at 1:37 pm[...] for a few weeks. The original recipe calls for a ratio of 2:1:1 rum to dry vermouth to curacao, with a half teaspoon of grenadine. The problem is that while the drink is definitely palatable, it just wasn’t great at that [...]