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Havana Club reminds me of Toronto summers along Dundas West. And, I’m sure going to be living up the cocktail recipes that I’ve learned at home. I made a visit to Northern Contemporary Art Gallery, and it was a thrill to be a part of the afternoon with Havana Club!

The walls of the gallery were adorned with the photography pieces of Cuba by 12 Canadian Instagram photographers, as part of the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival. The documentary-style photography is a representation of what Cuba, the birthplace of Havana Club is: a summary of the lifestyle, culture and people witnessed on a day to day basis.

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After a wander around the space, with nibbles to fit the Cuban sites, we were taken through three cocktail demonstrations by Meaghan Murray and Havana Club’s Donnie Wheeler. They provided us with a how-to on three very do-able cocktail recipes. My favourite of the three (maybe because it required the least ingredients, ha) was the very simple, ol’ Canchanchara: some lime juice, honey, and 1.5 shots of Havana Club 7.

See below for all of the recipes!

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Cocktail #1: The Havana 7 Old Fashioned

Ingredients

1.5 oz. Havana Club 7
1 sugar cube
4-6 dashes angostura bitters
Orange, for garnish

Directions

  1. Place 1 brown sugar cube in a mixing glass and add 6-8 dashes of angostura bitters
  2. Muddle together, dissolving sugar cube
  3. Add 1.5 oz. Havana Club 7
  4. Stir with ice
  5. Pour into a rocks glass, over fresh ice
  6. Garnish with orange twist

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Cocktail #2: Canchanchara

Ingredients

1.5 oz. Havana Club 7
¾ oz. Lime juice
½ oz. honey

Directions

  1. Cut 1 lime in half, squeeze the juice, and add to shaker tin
  2. Add ½ oz. honey, stir in stir stick to create a lime-honey syrup
  3. Add 1.5 oz. Havana Club 7
  4. Fill with ice and shake until your arm is sore
  5. Strain into martini glass

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Cocktail #3: The Beach House

Ingredients

1.5oz Havana Club 7
2 oz. coconut cream
0.5 oz. pineapple shrub
0.5 oz. rich simple syrup
Bitters
Dehydrated pineapple (garnish)

Directions

  1. Combine 1.5oz Havana Club 7, coconut cream, pineapple shrub, rich simple syrup and a dash of the flavoured bitters
  2. Shake and double strain into coupe
  3. Garnish with dehydrated pineapple