The El Presidente recipe
for your table
Fill a mixing glass two-thirds full with ice cubes and chill the cocktail glass with ice and a splash of water.
Add the rum, vermouth, curaçao and grenadine to the ice in the mixing glass.
Stir with the bar spoon along the side for twenty to thirty seconds, until the mixing glass fogs up on the outside.
Pour the ice out of the cocktail glass, strain the cocktail into it and twist a strip of orange peel over the glass.
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Send the El Presidente recipe to your own email, so you have it at hand when you make it. You will also receive a € 5 discount code for orders from € 50, for the glasses that go with it.
The story
The name refers to a Cuban president, but it is unclear which one exactly: the sources contradict each other on that point, as well as on who is said to have invented the cocktail. What is certain is that the drink comes from Cuban bar culture, from the same corner as the daiquiri, and that it is built like a rum martini: a light rum balanced by dry vermouth, stirred, not shaken. The curaçao and grenadine are the Cuban additions that set it apart from an ordinary martini, and also the reason it looks warmer in the glass.
The right glass
Stirred and strained means that no ice goes into the glass, so a glass of around fifteen centiliters is just right: the nine to ten centiliters left over will fill it neatly to just below the rim. A tulip-shaped bowl on a slender stem keeps the vermouth's aromas together and ensures your hand does not touch the drink. Chill the glass beforehand with ice and water and discard it just before pouring. If you prefer the classic V shape, take a look at our martini glasses.
Onis Bespoke Cocktail Glass 15.5 cl Nick & Nora (6 pieces)
Luigi Bormioli Mixology Cocktail Glass 15 cl Nick & Nora (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 66,90.
The right tools
For an El Presidente, in addition to the glass, you use a mixing glass to stir in, a bar spoon with a long handle, and a cocktail strainer to hold back the ice. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools together € 72,80.
What do you need to make an El Presidente?
For an El Presidente, you need light rum, such as Bacardi or Havana Club, plus dry white vermouth and an orange curaçao such as Cointreau. Vermouth does not yet have its own page with us; well-known bottles include Noilly Prat and Martini. On every drinks page, you can read the alcohol percentage, how it tastes, which cocktails it works well in, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
If you use a light golden rum aged in wood for a few years instead of white rum, the drink becomes fuller and gains notes of vanilla. A few drops of orange bitters bring the curaçao forward without making it sweeter. Leave out the grenadine entirely and you get a pale, leaner version close to a rum martini; double it and the glass turns pink while losing its dryness. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Don’t serve it ice-cold. Stir for twenty to thirty seconds, and no longer, because too much chilling makes the vermouth close up, leaving you with nothing but rum and sweetness. Do chill the glass beforehand, but take it out of the freezer when you’re ready to strain. Express the orange peel over the glass so the oil lands on the surface, then place it in the drink.
Good to know
The grenadine is there for the color
Half a bar spoon of grenadine, about a quarter of a centiliter, is enough. That little bit gives the glass the soft amber-red tint the cocktail is known for, along with just enough sweetness to balance the dry vermouth. Add a full centiliter and the pomegranate takes over, making the drink sweet and flat. For precise measurements, measure the grenadine with the small end of a jigger and pour in half of it.
The drink lives or dies by the vermouth
Two centiliters to six centiliters of rum is a lot, so you’re guaranteed to taste the vermouth. A bottle that has been open at room temperature for months will have oxidized and gone flat, and there’s nothing you can do to reverse that. So buy a small bottle, refrigerate it after opening, and use it within a few weeks. The original recipe calls for a French blanc, a dry white vermouth; a bianco is noticeably sweeter and makes a different drink.
Stirred, not shaken
This drink contains only spirits, fortified wine, and a little syrup. There is no juice, egg white, or cream, so there is nothing to emulsify. Shaking would only introduce air and ice chips, making the drink cloudy and robbing it of its smooth texture. Stirring cools more slowly and dilutes it in a controlled way, which is exactly what you want in a cocktail that relies on clarity and texture.
Which rum to choose
A light Cuban style works best: dry, crisp, and without much oak. That gives the vermouth and curaçao room instead of overpowering them. A light-gold rum aged for a few years in oak can also work and adds some vanilla. What does not work is a heavy, dark molasses rum or a spiced rum: they bring so many spices and so much caramel of their own that you can no longer taste the rest of the drink.
Sources disagree about the name
You read everywhere that the cocktail was named after a Cuban president; which president that was is another story. Different sources name different people and different periods, without any of them being verifiable. The same applies to the bartender who supposedly invented it. We would therefore rather leave out the name and year than pass on a story that could just as easily be made up.
Frequently asked questions
What goes into an El Presidente?
An El Presidente consists of 6 cl white or light-gold rum, 2 cl dry white vermouth, 1 cl orange curaçao, and half a bar spoon of grenadine, approximately 0.25 cl. Everything is stirred over ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass, with an orange twist.
Why so little grenadine?
The grenadine is there for color and a touch of sweetness, not for flavor. Half a bar spoon gives it its amber-red hue and balances the dry vermouth; more than that makes the drink sweet and flat.
Is an El Presidente stirred or shaken?
Stirred. There is no juice, egg white, or cream, so there is nothing to emulsify. Shaking makes the drink cloudy and introduces ice chips into the glass, while stirring cools more slowly and dilutes it in a controlled way.
Which vermouth do you use?
A dry white vermouth; the original calls for a French blanc. Choose a bottle you would also drink neat, store it in the refrigerator after opening, and use it within a few weeks, because dried-out vermouth makes the whole drink taste flat.
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