The Cuba Libre – a World-Famous Cocktail That Originated With BACARDÍ Rum – Celebrates 125 Years
To mark the anniversary, Bacardi showcases vintage advertisements from its archives that illustrate the cocktail’s rise over the course of a century and the brand’s storied partnership with Coca-Cola®
Part cocktail, part rallying-cry, the story behind the original Cuba Libre cocktail is preserved in the Bacardi Archives and can be traced back to a celebratory moment in Cuban history at the end of the Spanish-American war. American soldiers stationed in Cuba – birthplace of BACARDÍ – brought Coca-Cola® with them for a taste of home which, soon became an island favorite soft drink.
One August day in 1900, while celebrating Cuba’s victory at The American Bar in Havana, a U.S. Army Signal Corps captain decided to ask the bartender for his favorite Cuban BACARDÍ Rum mixed with Coca-Cola® and the squeeze of a fresh lime, sparking interest among others bar patrons. Soon the entire bar was drinking this enticing, new combination. The captain proposed a toast of “¡Por Cuba libre!” (For a free Cuba!) ─ a phrase exclaimed frequently by Cuban revolutionaries and Americans soldiers. The name caught on, and stuck. The cocktail soon spread beyond Cuba to become an international hit, beloved for its simplicity and refreshing taste.
“A favorite among both bartenders and consumers alike, few rum cocktails have been able to stand the test of time like the Cuba Libre,” said Dickie Cullimore, Global Brand Ambassador for BACARDÍ. “It’s easy to master the Cuba Libre and make it your own. By simply combining just three ingredients – the world’s most awarded rum brand, the world’s favorite cola brand and a squeeze of fresh lime – a delicious taste of cocktail history is available at your fingertips at virtually any bar, anywhere, and even at home.”
The Cuba Libre cocktail was itself a product of a revolution in rum-making. In 1862, in Santiago de Cuba, Don Facundo Bacardí Massó developed BACARDÍ, the world’s first smooth light-bodied spirit. Designed to be the ultimate mixing spirit, as it never dominates or dilutes the taste of the drink, BACARDÍ rum inspired the creation of other legendary cocktail recipes like the authentic Mojito, the original Daiquirí, and the Piña Colada. For more than 163 years, through seven generations of Don Facundo’s descendants, family-owned Bacardi has focused on innovation, consistency, quality, taste and excellence in rum-making.
Today, sipping this cocktail made with two iconic drinks brands still summons the same feelings of celebration, liberation and national pride as it did in 1900. In fact, the Rum & Coke® remains one the most ordered drinks worldwide, claiming the #6 spot on the 2025 Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report. More than a century after the Cuba Libre’s origins, Bacardi and Coca-Cola® continue their relationship and in 2025 launched BACARDÍ & Coca-Cola® Ready-to-Drink pre-mixed canned cocktails currently rolling out across the world.
To make the perfect Cuba Libre cocktail and take your drink beyond a Rum and Coke®, remember the squeeze of fresh lime makes all the difference.
Original BACARDÍ Cuba Libre
2 oz BACARDÍ Gold® rum
4 oz Coca-Cola® (bottled)
2 lime wedges
Ice cubes
Fill a highball glass with cubed ice. Squeeze juice of fresh lime wedges into the glass and then drop lime wedge rinds directly into the glass. Pour in BACARDÍ Gold rum and top with chilled Coca-Cola®, ideally bottled. Stir gently and enjoy responsibly.
BACARDÍ, ITS TRADE DRESS AND THE BAT DEVICE ARE TRADEMARKS OF BACARDI & COMPANY LIMITED. COCA-COLA AND COKE ARE TRADEMARKS OF THE COCA-COLA COMPANY. PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.
