El Presidente

In the early 1900s, Cuba was a popular destination spot for American tourists. Cuban bars began prolifically inventing cocktails to slake the tourist of Americans escaping Prohibition, creating such classics as the Mojito and Daiquiri. The El Presidente was also created during that time and is often called the Cuban answer to the Manhattan. Since then, the formula has been changed over and over again, so that no one real recipe is right, just the one that is right for your palate. As one author on Liquor.com said "If you want more body, try a more richly flavored white rum or a lightly aged rum. If you want to lighten the vermouth, try a blanc style, which is semi-dry, slightly sweet and arguably the style of vermouth used in the original. And if you find the cocktail too orange-heavy, dial down the curaçao." The recipe I used here uses dry curacao and blanc vermouth to keep the cocktail more delicate and less syrupy sweet. A barspoon of grenadine adds color and a little more fruity tones.