Cuba Libre
Highballs & Fizzes · Rum
- Strength
- 10.1%
- Std. drinks
- 1.13
- Calories
- 165
- Sugar
- 12.5 g
- 1¾ ozWhite rum50 ml
- 4 ozCola120 ml
- 2 tspLime juice10 ml
The ratio · 1 : 2½ : ¼
Highlighted: not in the Paloma.
Head to head
Cuba Libre and Paloma side by side: what changes in the recipe, the balance, the strength and the calories.
The difference, by the numbers
Both have lime juice. Only the Cuba Libre has white rum and cola; only the Paloma has tequila, salt and grapefruit soda. In parts, a Cuba Libre is 1 rum, 2½ cola and ¼ lime; a Paloma is 1 tequila and 2 grapefruit soda. By volume, the Cuba Libre is 67% mixer and juice, 28% spirit and 5% citrus; the Paloma is 65% mixer and juice, 32% spirit and 3% citrus. That makes them close cousins on the ratio map.
The Paloma is the stronger drink in the glass (11.7% ABV against 10.1%), but being smaller it holds about the same alcohol (1.13 standard drinks each). The Cuba Libre has more calories (about 165 against 154) and more sugar (12.5 g against 10.8 g). Both are built and served in a highball.
Highballs & Fizzes · Rum
The ratio · 1 : 2½ : ¼
Highlighted: not in the Paloma.
Highballs & Fizzes · Tequila
The ratio · 1 : 2
Highlighted: not in the Cuba Libre.
Each drink sits nearer the corners it has more of: spirit, vermouth and bitter, citrus, mixer, syrup or liqueur. The gray dots are the other classics. Explore the full ratio map.
Cuba Libre vs.
Paloma vs.