The Sparkling Hemingway Special

The Hemingway Special, also known as the Papa Doble, was created in the early 1930s at El Floridita bar in Havana by Constantino Ribalaigua Vert, the Catalan-born bartender who owned the establishment from 1918 until his death in 1952. Ernest Hemingway, who lived in Cuba from 1939 to 1960, became a regular at El Floridita, and according to the most widely told account he asked Ribalaigua for a daiquiri without sugar and with twice the rum, since he found the standard drink too sweet. Ribalaigua named the resulting drink the Papa Doble, after Hemingway's nickname, and later added maraschino liqueur and grapefruit juice to the formula, producing the drink that became known as the Hemingway Special (PBS Food).

The Hemingway Special is a daiquiri built without sugar, and that is its entire point. The white rum carries the body, the lime juice provides the acid, the maraschino liqueur contributes a dry, nutty, slightly bitter cherry note in place of sugar, and the grapefruit juice adds a tart, almost bitter top that the standard daiquiri does not have. Topped with sparkling wine, the Hemingway Special becomes a brunch cocktail of real character. The bubbles lift the maraschino and the grapefruit, the drink takes on the lightness of a spritz crossed with a daiquiri, and the result is a brunch aperitivo for drinkers who like their brunch cocktails dry rather than sweet.

Ingredients (serves 6): - 9 oz white Cuban-style rum (such as Havana Club 3 or Flor de Caña 4) - 3 oz fresh lime juice - 3 oz fresh grapefruit juice - 1½ oz maraschino liqueur (such as Luxardo) - 1 bottle (3 ⅛ cups) chilled Cava Brut or dry Prosecco - Grapefruit twists and brandied cherries for garnish

Instructions: Combine the rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice, and maraschino liqueur in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into chilled coupe glasses. Top slowly with 1 oz chilled Cava per glass, pouring gently down the side. Garnish each glass with a grapefruit twist and a brandied cherry.

For a Crowd (serves 12): - 18 oz white rum, 6 oz fresh lime juice, 6 oz fresh grapefruit juice, 3 oz maraschino liqueur - 2 bottles chilled Cava Brut - Pre-batch the rum, juices, and maraschino in a pitcher; shake in batches and top with Cava at service.

Variations: - Original Papa Doble: Double the rum and omit the sugar entirely, for the stronger, drier drink that Ribalaigua built for Hemingway. - Hemingway Daiquiri Royale: Increase the sparkling-wine top to 2 oz per glass for a lighter, brunch-forward drink. - Frozen Papa Doble: Blend the base with crushed ice for the frozen interpretation served at El Floridita in the 1950s.

Pairing: The Hemingway Special's tart, unsweetened character pairs well with brunch dishes such as a Cuban sandwich, black beans and rice, or a citrus and avocado salad. Its dryness also makes it a companion to a grapefruit rosemary mimosa, and it sits comfortably in the same brunch flight as the passionfruit mimosa.

Reference Links: - Hemingway Special / Papa Doble (Constantino Ribalaigua, El Floridita, Havana, 1930s): PBS Food

Pro Tips: The Hemingway Special lives on the maraschino liqueur, since it is the only sweetener in the drink and it carries the dry, nutty, slightly bitter cherry note that defines the cocktail. Luxardo is the standard. Fresh grapefruit juice, squeezed the morning of service, is essential, since bottled juice carries a cooked quality that flattens the drink. Use a Cuban-style white rum such as Havana Club 3 or Flor de Caña 4, since the lighter style of rum lets the maraschino and the grapefruit carry the drink rather than being buried under a heavier spirit. Shake hard and pour the Cava last and gently, since the pale-pink color is part of the drink's appeal and should not be churned cloudy.