The Cocktails of the Caribbean: How BACARD Rum Captivated Generations of Artists – Rolling Stone

If theres one spirit that conjures instant associations of white sand beaches, late night bachata and blistering summer sun, its BACARD rum. For centuries, rum has been the tipple of choice to beat the heat making BACARD the perfect partner to kick off the Life is Beautiful festival last weekend with Rolling Stone, in fabulous and, lets face it, feverish Las Vegas.

Its no wonder the BACARD rum has become known as the drink that keeps its cool, the brands reputation for resilience runs deep. It was El Coco, the coconut palm planted in front of the original Cuban distillery by the son of founder Facundo Bacard Mass, that first became a symbol of the brands longevity surviving hurricanes, earthquakes and even a distillery fire since its planting in the 1860s. With El Coco serving as a good luck charm, BACARD rose to become a Cuban institution, before finding a second home in Puerto Rico in the 1930s, where the rum brand is now crafted today. Now, the brand is not only an American classic but the foundation of many now- household cocktails that have seeped into the mainstream.

First up is a staple in the arsenal of any bartender (and a favorite among rum fans). Long before the vodka-soda-lime there was the Mismo, a BACARD-based cocktail invented in 1899. Created at the Cosmopolitan Club in Santiago, the countrys second-largest city and the Bacard familys hometown, local lore dictates that a group of Americans eager to fit in among their Cuban colleagues took cues from their drink order. When one Cuban ordered a BACARD rum and seltzer, and his friend asked for lo mismo, the Americans mistook the Spanish translation of the same for the name of the cocktail. Following suit, they called for a full round of los mismos.

When the Americans returned to order more lo mismos from the same bartender the following day, the mismo was officially born. Since, the drink has become a favorite among rum-aficionados hoping for a quick, ultra-refreshing cocktail before heading back on the dance floor. It pairs well with rhythmicity of Afro-Latin music from Princess Nokia to Afro-Puerto Rican production group Luny Tunes contributions and has even been adopted as a band name (see: popular Mexican group, Los Mismos).

If youre a Hemingway fan, Havana frequenter or fiend a fruity tipple, were willing to bet money youve had a dalliance or two with a daiquiri. At the Rolling Stone LIB kick-off, BACARD will be serving up the classic cocktail with a twist in tribute to the great American novelists long-time love affair with Cuba. It all started at La Floridita, the legendary Havana bar that would famously become Ernest Hemingways watering hole throughout his 20-year stint in Cuba. After tasting a daiquiri (which features white rum, lime and granulated sugar, all shaken with crushed ice), Hemingway, affectionately referred to as Papa throughout Cuba, requested the bartender revise the drink without sugar and double the rum. The papa doble, as it became known, was henceforth Hemingways drink of choice.

The Hemingway daiquiri has since evolved now generally served with a single pour of rum in homage to the writers favorite drink, while retaining the same lip-smacking flavor that made it famous. In fact, its likely the drinks versatility that prompted the unending musical tributes to the daiquiri (emo fans will remember Panic! At The Discos peach and lime daiquiri, lead singer Brendon Uries favorite drink at the time of writing A Fever You Cant Sweat Out). While cocktail blogs pair the drink with Camila Cabellos Havana in ode to its Cuban roots, you can have just as an authentic experience sipping papa dobles and dancing the salsa, mambo or cha-cha-cha all styles that originated from Cuba.

Of course, when it comes to the taste of the tropics, even a daiquiri may struggle to best the ultimate frozen delight, the Pia Colada. Perhaps the most disputed of the three cocktails in terms of origin, the Pia Coladas inception has often been attributed to Puerto Rican pirate Roberto Cofres, who allegedly boosted the morale of his crew with the now-fundamental concoction of coconut, pineapple and white rum in the early 1800s.

That hasnt stopped several Puerto Rican joints from taking credit for the drink as we know it. Old San Juan restaurant Barrachina believes it was their bartender, Don Portas Mingot, who created the cocktail in 1963, while the Caribe Hilton Hotel claims bartender Ramn Monchito Marrero spent three months perfecting the recipe that would be served to the likes of Hollywood actress Joan Crawford, who allegedly endorsed the drink among Hollywoods elite circles. Whoever the originator, the Pia Colada well and truly belongs to Puerto Rico, and its been raising morale ever since its inception. Rupert Holmes 1979 hit Escape: The Pia Colada song has been covered by Jimmy Buffet and even Jack Johnson, appearing in many films from Ben Stillers The Secret Life of Walter Mitty to Bewitched with Nicole Kidman. Obviously, the song is a must when indulging in an ice cold, frothy pia colada, but if you want to keep things slightly more contemporary, give Two Pia Coladas by Garth Brooks a go.

Another BACARD-based drink truly worth its salt or lime is a more recent addition to Puerto Ricos superior cocktail portfolio. In 2018, world-renowned mixologist and San Juan-native Nicole Fas won the BACARD Legacy Cocktail Competition the ritmo tropical, a drink inspired by spirit of the Caribbean that features lime and pineapple juice, as well BACARD Aejo Cuatro, vermouth and the slightest hint of absinthe. The cocktail is not only a testament to BACARD rums versatility, but its capacity to inspire and evolve with each new generation not unlike the many Puerto Rican artists bridging Latin and Western cultures. Mix-up a rito tropical and queue up Puerto Rican-natives Bad Bunny, Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, Farruko, Don Omarthe list goes on.

At the recent Life Is Beautiful kick-off party with Rolling Stone, BACARD served several signature rum cocktails alongside hand-picked talent from the brands legacy Music Liberates Music program. Attendees mellowed out to melodic London export Benjiflow, before Ric Wilson turned up the tempo with disco-seasoned rap. Bringing island vibes by the boat-load, BACARD transported Life Is Beautiful attendees from the desert to the tropics. Basically, any time theres BACARD involved, you can expect an unforgettable fiesta of pia coladas, and, with any luck, being caught in the rain.

[RG1]These early daiquiris werent blended, they were shaken, and the early daiquiris Hemingway would have enjoyed would have been without maraschino.

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The Cocktails of the Caribbean: How BACARD Rum Captivated Generations of Artists - Rolling Stone