The Canchanchara was drank by the 19th century Cuban independence fighters. People say Antonio Maceo invented the drink to keep the troops with energy (and tipsy, I suppose), for the fight. Back in the day, fighters used to drink it out of “jicaras”, a bowl made of the Güiro tree (Calabash tree).

The real Canchanchara is not with rum but “aguardiente”(brandy or firewater). Many times it is prepared with rum instead of aguardiente, even in Cuba.

In Trinidad, the drink is offered to tourists and prepared everywhere. I do not remember this popularity anywhere else on the island.

For the authentic cocktail you need:

Aguardiente, Honey, Lime, Crushed Ice and Water 

Pour the honey and the lemon juice into the glass and stir until the honey has dissolved. Add the aguardiente, the ice and the water and stir.

Some recipes advise to use two spoons of honey but that may be too sweet for a lot of people. I recommend to try with one spoon or less until you find the right taste for you. After that, you can sip and sip and sip…

Also published on Medium.