Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Rum Cocktails

El Macuá

By
Liquor.com
Liquor.com

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Updated 06/27/21
A bright orange-pink cocktail served in a Collins glass and garnished with an orange slice and stemmed candied cherry; the drink is set atop a light gray surface
Image:

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

Named for a Central American bird, this fruity, tropical cocktail became the national drink of Nicaragua in 2006 following a nationwide cocktail competition. The creator of this winning recipe, Dr. Edmundo Miranda Saenz, a native of Granada, Nicaragua, teamed up with a few family members to perfect his submission to the competition, El Trago Nacional, which was backed by iconic Nicaraguan rum producer Flor de Caña.

The original El Macuá recipe calls for white rum, but if you prefer to use a rum with some age on it, this can bring a new level of complexity to the drink. And if you want to be really fancy, you could even make your own rum blend. It’s a pro move used by top-tier bars across the world.

When it comes to using juice in cocktails, fresh is generally best, but some juices—like guava—are much easier to find already-juiced. Any quality guava juice will work when making El Macuá at home, though you’ll want to stick with freshly-squeezed orange and lemon juices for best results. Depending on which brand of guava juice you use, the cocktail’s color will range from a bright orange-pink hue to a soft yellow shade.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces white or aged rum
  • 1 ounce guava juice
  • 1 ounce orange juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/3 ounce simple syrup
  • Garnish: orange slice
  • Garnish: candied cherry

Steps

  1. Add the rum, guava juice, orange juice, lemon juice and simple syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.

  2. Strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice.

  3. Garnish with an orange slice and a candied cherry.