Ingredients
The drink
- 50 mlwhite rum
- 75 mlpineapple juice
- 10 mlmaraschino liqueur
- or 2 teaspoons maraschino
Sometimes added
- a squeeze of lime
- 1 teaspoonsugar syrup
To serve
- plenty of ice
- a chilled coupe or a tumbler
- a slice of pineapple
- a maraschino cherry
Directions
- Reduce or drop any added sugar if using it. Strain fresh juice to remove the pulp. Chill the glass in the freezer first.
- Keep the rum and the juice cold. A cold drink stays crisp far longer. Fill a shaker two thirds with ice.
- Pour in the rum and the pineapple juice. Add the maraschino to the shaker. Add a squeeze of lime if you want it sharper. Seal the shaker lid on firmly.
- Shake it hard for about twelve seconds. A gentle shake gives a flat warm drink. Strain it into the chilled glass. Use a fine strainer for a cleaner drink.
- Fill a tumbler with plenty of ice. Pour the rum and juice over it. Add the maraschino to it last.
- Stir it briefly with a long spoon. Taste it before you serve it out. It should be dry rather than sweet. Add a little sugar syrup only if it is harsh.
- Add lime if it tastes flat or cloying. Serving it is done immediately. Garnish it with a slice of pineapple. Add a cherry if you have a good one. It is drunk cold and fairly quickly. Make each one of them to order.
Technique
- It is said to be named after the Havana Special, a real service in which trains ran down the Florida coast to Key West and a ferry carried passengers to Havana; the account is traditional rather than firmly documented, and a hurricane destroyed the overseas railroad in nineteen thirty-five.
- Maraschino is a clear dry liqueur made from marasca cherries and their stones, not the sweet syrup from a jar of cherries; the two share a name and nothing else.
- The maraschino is a seasoning rather than a main ingredient, and ten millilitres is enough, since more dominates everything else.
Substitutions
- Any good light white rum works, though heavy dark or spiced rum makes a different drink.
- Fresh pineapple juice is sharper and less sweet than bottled, which is usually heavily sweetened.
Variations
- Some bars build it over ice in a tumbler rather than shaking and straining it.
- A squeeze of lime sharpens it where the pineapple is very sweet.
- The Daiquiri and the Mojito come from the same Havana bar era.
History
A Havana bar drink of the 1930s, said to be named after the ferry and train link from Key West.
Frequently asked questions
What is Havana Special?
Havana Special is a cocktail from Cuba: white rum, pineapple juice and a dash of maraschino over ice. A Havana bar drink of the 1930s, said to be named after the ferry and train link from Key West.
How long does Havana Special take to make?
Havana Special takes 5 minutes of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes serves 1. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Havana Special?
Yes, within limits. Any good light white rum works, though heavy dark or spiced rum makes a different drink. Fresh pineapple juice is sharper and less sweet than bottled, which is usually heavily sweetened.
What is the most important thing to get right in Havana Special?
Stir it briefly with a long spoon. Taste it before you serve it out. It should be dry rather than sweet. Add a little sugar syrup only if it is harsh.
