El Presidente (Sloppy Joe's)

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (77 ratings)
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    El Presidente (Sloppy Joe's)

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El Presidente (Sloppy Joe's) image

Photographed in a Speakeasy Coupe 8.5oz

Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 oz Light gold rum (1-3 year old molasses column)
3⁄4 oz Strucchi Bianco Vermouth
1⁄4 oz Orange Curaçao liqueur
1⁄6 oz Monin Grenadine Syrup
1⁄3 oz Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of lime zest twist (discarded) & Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.
  3. STIR all ingredients with ice.
  4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 7/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 7/10
More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

A splash of lime adds zesty citrus balance to this delicate rose-pink tinted rum and vermouth cocktail with a touch of pomegranate contributing fruity sweetness.

View readers' comments

Variant:

El Presidente
El Presidente (with rhum agricole)
El Presidente (sans grenadine
El Presidente Menocal Special

History:

El Presidente is one of the best-known classic Cuban cocktails to enter the world's drinking lexicon and during Cuba's 1930s heyday, Sloppy Joe's was one of Havana's most famous bars.

In his 1939 The Gentleman's Companion, Charles H. Baker says (page 99) "Sloppy Joe's own Special is merely the Presidente with the juice of a small lime added, and the twist of lime peel."

CUBAN PRESIDENT
1 Part of Rum.
1 Part of Noilly.
Prat Vermouth.
Drops of Grenadine
Drops of Curaçao.
Stir up, put in a cherry, a slice of Orange, and serve in a Manhattan glass.

AMERICAN PRESIDENT
1 Part of Rum.
1 Part of Noilly.
Prat Vermouth.
The juice of a Lemon
Drops of Grenadine
Drops of Curaçao.
Shake with cracked ice, put in a cherry and serve in a Manhattan glass.

Sloppy Joe's menu Season 1931-31, 1941

Nutrition:

One serving of El Presidente (Sloppy Joe's) contains 169 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.4 standard drinks
  • 21.53% alc./vol. (21.53° proof)
  • 19.4 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Showing 6 comments for El Presidente (Sloppy Joe's).
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Ian Fenton’s Avatar Ian Fenton
1st May 2024 at 11:37
My wife finished it so quickly I didn’t even get a taste… I can only presume it was good.
3
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William Smith’s Avatar William Smith
16th December 2023 at 02:43
Made this as written. Light but not bland, not too sweet. Will make again.
0
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Giulio Motta’s Avatar Giulio Motta
19th September 2023 at 08:49
Excellent drink made with Bianco semi-sweet vermouth. When made with dry vermouth, it needs some not-straightforward rebalancing that the El Presidente (Rhum agricole)-version does not.
1
reply
Sally Morgan’s Avatar Sally Morgan
23rd June 2023 at 20:06
Given it’s an alarming shade of puce - it really is a lovely, well-balanced, cocktail
1
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Ignacio Seligra’s Avatar Ignacio Seligra
13th March 2023 at 16:02
Shouldn't this one be shaken rather than stirred, with the addition of (lime) juice?
2
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Asher Günther’s Avatar Asher Günther
16th November 2022 at 07:00
Quite nice, though I think it is better with the more traditional Bianco rather than Dry Vermouth
2
reply
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
8th December 2022 at 19:38
Agreed! Thanks, Asher. I've amended accordingly.
3
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