These Cuban cocktails are full of tropical flavors! Here are our top favorites, along with snack suggestions to pair with them.
Cuban cocktails are a vibrant and enticing part of the country’s culinary and cultural heritage. They’re known for their refreshing flavors, bold combinations, and the skillful art of mixology that goes into their creation.
The mixed drinks have even gained international recognition and have become synonymous with relaxation, fun, and the lively spirit of Cuba.
FUN FACT: When America prohibited booze during the holidays, they escaped to Cuba for their holiday shenanigans.
While the mojito and daiquiri may be widely recognized, Cuban cocktails extend far beyond these classics. From saoco rum to airmail cocktails, there are many other delicious and refreshing drinks to discover.
Top 5 Recipe Picks
Check out our top 5 favorites from this list of Cuban cocktails:
- Pirates and Tiki enthusiasts favor the #6 Bumbo recipe as a spirited drink.
- #12 Strawberry Mojito uses fresh strawberries for a sweet taste and stunning looks.
- #18 Canchánchara cocktail flaunts a tropical garnish for a taste of paradise.
- Enjoy #24 Cuban Old Fashioned, classic elegance with a twist!
- Make #30 Guava Mojitos recipe your own by garnishing it with your preferred fruits.
Snacks That Go Well With Cuban Cocktails
Cuban cocktails pair well with a variety of snacks. Here are some snack suggestions.
- Plantain chips. Plantain chips’ slightly sweet flavor balances refreshing Cuban cocktails.
- Empanadas. Stuffed pastries with savory meat and cheese blend with Cuban cocktails.
- Croquetas. Their crispy exterior and creamy interior well-enhance a Cuban cocktail.
- Tostones. Crispy tostones contrast well with sweet Cuban cocktails.
- Cuban sandwich sliders. Mini Cuban sandwich bites pair well with Cuban cocktails.
- Shrimp ceviche. The citrus-flavored shrimp ceviche with onions and herbs provides a refreshing contrast to the rich flavor of Cuban cocktails.
- Yuca fries. Crispy yuca fries are a match to Cuban cocktails.
- Cuban black bean dip. This dip is a good accompaniment to Cuban cocktails, served with tortilla chips or toasted Cuban bread.
- Crostinis with roasted pork and pickles. The tender roasted pork, tangy pickles, and crunchy crostini base create a nice contrast to Cuban cocktails.
- Chicharrones de cerdo. Crispy pork rinds mix wonderfully with Cuban cocktails.
BEST Cuban Cocktails
1. Saoco Rum
Here’s a Cuban mixed drink that’s a popular choice for gatherings. The drink is refreshing, served over crushed ice, and then garnished with a lime wedge.
Ingredients include: Light rum, coconut water, lime juice, and sugar.
2. Mojito
This classic drink isn’t only a crowd-pleaser but also incredibly simple to mix. The muddled mint leaves add an aromatic element to the cocktail, while the lime juice provides a tangy kick.
Ingredients include: Mint leaves, white rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and sparkling water.
3. Cuba Libre
This delicious Cuba Libre recipe mixes the sweet taste of cola with the rich flavors of rum and a hint of lime. Feel free to add a splash of grenadine or use a different rum to give it a new flavor profile.
Ingredients include: Lime juice, Cuban rum, coca-cola, lime wedges, and ice cubes.
Did you know? Cuba Libre, which means “Free Cuba“ in Spanish, is a variation of the Daiquiri that was created during the Cuban War of Independence.
This Cuban Daiquiri highlights three basic ingredients. The simple syrup helps to balance the tart taste of the lime juice, while the Cuban rum adds a smooth, slightly smoky flavor. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Ingredients include: Rum, lime juice, and simple syrup.
5. El Floridita
This El Floridita cocktail recipe stands out for its classic and impeccable blend of flavors. It’s best served chilled, so be sure to chill your glass before pouring the drink.
Ingredients include: White rum, lime, and maraschino.
6. Bumbo
This cocktail brings a taste of the high seas with its refreshing and tangy profile. It’s a rum-based drink, so expect that it has a bit of kick and a warming note from the spices.
Ingredients include: Rum, water, sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
This Culto A La Vida cocktail highlights the use of dark rum. The process includes blending and stirring the ingredients in a shaker, then serving it on the rocks in a long glass with a lime wedge garnish.
Ingredients include: Lime wedges, dark rum, cranberry juice, sugar, and ice.
8. Cubata Gin
This enticing beverage is a great way to enjoy gin in a new and exciting way. The recipe combines the bold flavors of gin with the vibrant citrus notes of lime and the subtle sweet taste of cola.
Ingredients include: Gin, lime juice, coke, and lime wedges.
This cocktail recipe offers a balance of sweet and dry notes, resulting in a smooth and sophisticated sip. The rum provides a smooth and robust foundation, and the rest of the ingredients tie it together.
Ingredients include: White rum, orange curacao, white vermouth, and grenadine.
10. Cojito
Cojito is a refreshing twist on the classic Mojito cocktail, blending the tropical flavors of coconut and lime. The coconut milk gives this drink a rich and creamy flavor, with lime juice adding a tart note.
Ingredients include: Simple syrup, lime juice, mint leaves, rum, and club soda.
11. Hotel Nacional
Hotel Nacional is a classic Cuban drink that embodies the flavors of Havana. It’s sweet and tart, with a hint of spice from the apricot liqueur. The pineapple contributes a tropical touch.
Ingredients include: Light rum, gold rum, apricot liqueur, pineapple juice, and lime juice.
This cocktail mixes the classic minty flavors of a traditional mojito with the sweet and tangy essence of fresh strawberries. The white rum gives the beverage a subtly sweet taste, while the club soda incorporates some fizz.
Ingredients include: Strawberries, mint leaves, simple syrup, lime juice, and club soda.
13. Ginger Mojito
This Ginger Mojito includes ginger simple syrup, which adds a touch of spice, while the mint provides a fresh, fragrant flavor. The boozy drink is then topped with chilled club soda for a light and bubbly finish.
Ingredients include: Ginger, sugar, lime, mint leaves, and white rum.
14. Frozen Daiquiri
This Frozen Daiquiri requires four ingredients to make. It’s light and refreshing, with a tart lime flavor that’s balanced by the sweet, simple syrup. Customize the recipe by including various fruits or flavors that you prefer.
Ingredients include: White rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and ice.
Old Cuban is a sophisticated cocktail that takes the refreshing flavors of the Mojito and adds the bubbles of the French 75. The mint and lime provide a tart and refreshing flavor, while the aged rum adds complexity and depth.
Ingredients include: Mint leaves, lime juice, simple syrup, rum, and champagne.
16. Mary Pickford
This vintage mixed drink features a balance of sweet and tangy flavors, with a hint of floral notes from the maraschino liqueur. It’s named after the iconic silent film actress Mary Pickford.
Ingredients include: White rum, pineapple juice, grenadine, and maraschino liqueur.
This Havana Cocktail is light but still has a bit of kick from the rum. It’s shaken with ice until chilled, strained into a glass filled with fresh ice, and garnished with a flower and an orange twist.
Ingredients include: White rum, lime juice, orange juice, and simple syrup.
Canchánchara Cocktail is a traditional Cuban drink that dates back to the 19th century. The drink includes honey and lime juice, providing it with sweet-tart notes. Garnish with a lime wedge and sugarcane for an authentic Cuban touch.
Ingredients include: Honey, hot water, añejo rum, lime juice, and ice.
19. Cuban Breeze
This Cuban Breeze is full of tropical flavor! The almond notes of the amaretto complement the sweet taste of the pineapple juice, and the vodka adds a nice touch of tart. Serve over ice and garnished with a pineapple wedge or cherry.
Ingredients include: Vodka, amaretto, pineapple juice, and ice.
The Douglas Fairbanks cocktail, named after the lively silent film actor, combines gin, apricot brandy, and lime juice for a sweet and tart flavor combination. It livens up any party or gathering.
Ingredients include: Gin, apricot brandy, lime juice, and lemon twist.
Blackberry Mojitos are memorable for their vibrant color, refreshing taste, and the infusion of blackberries and mint achieved through muddling. They’re great for summer gatherings and parties.
Ingredients include: Blackberries, mint leaves, lime juice, simple syrup, and white rum.
The tiki-inspired Passion Fruit Daiquiri uses fresh passion fruit puree, providing a tropical flavor. Blended or shaken with ice, it offers a refreshing, slushy consistency that evokes a sense of vacation and relaxation.
Ingredients include: Passion fruit, lime juice, cane sugar syrup, rum, and ice.
23. Airmail Cocktail
Airmail Cocktail is named after pilots who enjoyed it while flying mail. This effervescent drink combines rum’s tropical sweet flavor with lime juice’s acidity, complemented by honey syrup and champagne.
Ingredients include: Gold rum, honey syrup, lime juice, and champagne.
For a tasty Cuban Old Fashioned, mix together rich espresso syrup and lively orange bitters. Let the bourbon shine as the star ingredient, and add a fancy touch with an orange peel garnish.
Ingredients include: Granulated sugar, Cuban espresso, orange Angostura bitters, bourbon, and orange peel.
Ernest Hemingway is attributed to the creation of this Hemingway Daiquiri cocktail. The mix balances the sweet flavor of maraschino liqueur and simple syrup with the tart of grapefruit juice, delivering a subtle cherry flavor.
Ingredients include: White rum, grapefruit juice, lime juice, maraschino liqueur, and simple syrup.
This Mojito Elderflower Cocktail mixes elderflower liqueur into a traditional Cuban highball. Its unique floral note makes it a refreshing choice for any occasion.
Ingredients include: Mint leaves, simple syrup, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, and club soda.
Pineapple-Rum Havana Cocktail is a versatile drink that tastes light and refreshing with sweet pineapple balancing spicy rum. Serve it in any glass and garnish with dried pineapple for elegance.
Ingredients include: Pineapple rum, lemon juice, pineapple juice, orange juice, and simple syrup.
This Blood Orange Mojito blends tart blood oranges with sweet rum and fresh mint. The recipe is an ideal way to utilize winter-season blood oranges, with club soda balancing the flavors.
Ingredients include: Oranges, lime, mint, granulated sugar, and white rum.
This Cuban Manhattan cocktail blends two types of rum with sweet-tart bada cherry juice. Its sophisticated taste and colorful garnish offer a new adventure for cocktail lovers.
Ingredients include: Zacapa rum, Pampero Aniversario rum, Martini Sweet Vermouth, bada cherry juice, and bada cherry.
30. Guava Mojitos
The easy mojito version uses guava nectar for a tropical twist. Packed with mint and lime flavor, the recipe will take only about 5 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients include: Mint, granulated sugar, lime juice, white rum, and guava nectar.
The bottom line
Cuban cuisine is full of scrumptious recipes, and Cuban cocktails are no exception in terms of flavor.
You don’t have to travel to Cuba to try these popular mixed drinks. With this list of Cuban cocktails, you can experience the tropical flavors of the country in the comfort of your home.
Choose your favorite Cuban drink, prepare the ingredients, create, and happy sipping!
More About Cuban Food
30 Best Cuban Cocktails
Ingredients
- Saoco Rum
- Mojito
- Cuba Libre
- Classic Daiquiri
- El Floridita
- Bumbo
- Culto A La Vida
- Cubata Gin
- El Presidente
- Cojito
- Hotel Nacional
- Strawberry Mojito
- Ginger Mojito
- Frozen Daiquiri
- Old Cuban Cocktail
- Mary Pickford
- Simple Havana Cocktail
- Canchánchara Cocktail
- Cuban Breeze
- Douglas Fairbanks
- Blackberry Mojitos
- Passion Fruit Daiquiri
- Airmail Cocktail
- Cuban Old Fashioned Cocktail
- Hemingway Daiquiri Cocktail
- Mojito Elderflower Cocktail
- Pineapple-Rum Havana Cocktail
- Blood Orange Mojito
- Cuban Manhattan Cocktail
- Guava Mojitos
Instructions
- It’s time to mix up something delicious from our list of Cuban Cocktails.
- Gather a few ingredients and grab a friend.
- Enjoy responsibly, and tell your pals about us!
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