The Ted Perez Cocktail of the Week is the simple, classic Rum & Coke. The cocktail, whose official name is Cuba Libre or “Free Cuba”, is a highball containing Coke, lime juice and rum [the lime portion is often left out when prepared in the US]. It is known by this name as an official IBA [International Bartenders Association] cocktail. Like most popular drinks, the Cuba Libre has a somewhat mysterious origin with various accounts, some rooted in fact and others in fiction. For example, Bacardi claims that the cocktail was invented at a bar in Old Havana, Cuba during the Spanish-American War. A potential problem with this account is that Coca-Cola wasn’t introduced to Cuba until after the war ended. For the most part, it is generally agreed upon that the drink was invented in Cuba around the year 1900 when Coca-Cola was first brought over by American troops. From this, it is easy to understand how the drink got its name from the battle cry of the Cuba Liberation Army.
Cockspur Rum and Coke Zero
Background [from Hot Buttered Rum post]
“Cockspur Rum was founded by Valdemar Hanschell in 1884. He settled in Barbados where he founded a ship chandlery that supplied vessels with rope, sails, fish, fresh fruit and, of course, rum. As his business thrived, so did the popularity of Cockspur Rum.”
Diplomático + Mexican Coke
Diplomático is copper pot stilled and aged for 12 months in small oak barrels. The unique white oak barrels yield an intense amber color and a unique, thick body. With the reduction of lime juice to that of about ¼ of a lime, the cocktail’s flavor was much more subtle. Overall, this combination was much more balanced in sweetness. Flavor was rich and thick, containing notes of molasses, dark fruits and smoke. Also, the rum yielded light spicy notes that enhanced the cocktail’s flavor profile.
The Kraken Rum + Mexican Coke
Background [from Hot Buttered Rum post]:
“The Kraken is an imported black rum from the Caribbean that's blended with over 11 secret spices. According to the maker, it is said that a ship carrying a significant quantity of black spiced rum from the Caribbean never made it to its destination. Although it was never confirmed, an attack from a Kraken was suspected, thus the rum inherited its name. The bottle, with its two distinctive round handles, is modeled on the shape of a Victorian style rum bottle.”
Ron Anejo Aniversario Pampero Rum + Mexican Coke
This rum was introduced in 1963 to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Pampero. It is aged in oak barrels with mellow, smooth, and rich flavor. In each limited production, every bottle is hand numbered and can be recognized by its distinctive leather pouch. This rum is most commonly drank straight, however, mixing allows drinkers that prefer a milder body to enjoy the same flavors. Immediately after tasting the cocktail, the intensely rich flavors from the Aniversario came through over the Coke and lime. Although, it had a strong, distinctive flavor, the rum didn’t produce much of a ‘kick’. Sweetness was balanced and the aftertaste was long and moderate in strength.
Gosling's Black Seal Rum + Coke Zero
Gosling’s Black Seal has a unique story that dates back to 1806:
“In 1806, James Gosling boarded a ship bound for America. The winds did not cooperate, and the ship landed in the port of St. George’s, Bermuda. He decided to stay in Bermuda, and opened a retail shop. Some 50 years later, he and his brother blended rums and sold the finished product in barrels only. After the First World War, they began to bottle this rum in used champagne bottles sealed with black wax. The product became quite popular, and people kept asking for “that black seal rum.” Eventually, the Black Seal balancing a rum barrel on its nose was added to the label.”
The combination of Goslings and Coke was also very sweet from the first sip [again, most likely front the artificial sweeteners in the Coke Zero]. Although the lime juice was reduced, its flavor was still very pronounced. Notes of molasses and wood dominated, however, it was unbalanced and the finish had a slight ‘kick’. Relatively speaking, after trying the other combinations, this one disappointed.
Verdict
After sampling all five variations, the first conclusion made was that the cocktail should not contain any diet soda [the flavors get thrown off by the artificial sweeteners]. Also, very dark rums, like Kraken and Gosling’s Black Seal, tend to be a little too rich and sweet to pair with the sugary Coke. Overall, the two favorites that provided the best balance between the rum, lime and coke were the Diplomático and the Ron Añejo Aniversario Pampero. Both yielded smooth, rich flavor while also incorporating unique notes not found in most rums [like smoke, spice and fruit]. The Aniversario was mellow while the Diplomático was sweet and spicy.