Papa Doble

A spare, Hemingway-inspired rum and fresh-lime cocktail served over ice.

Time: 10 minutes
Yield: Makes 1
Level: Easy

Behind the recipe

The story behind the pour

Even if you have not read Ernest Hemingway’s fiction, you have likely heard stories about the cocktails associated with him. Tales of Hemingway talking with bartenders blur history and legend—fitting for a writer who understood how lived experience becomes narrative. We may never know every exact drink he inspired, but we do know he loved daiquiris, especially those served at El Floridita in Havana, Cuba. This spare rum-and-lime interpretation keeps that adventurous spirit while remaining easy to mix at home.

Method

Make it

01
Add the aged dark rum and freshly squeezed lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well until thoroughly chilled.
02
Fill a rocks glass with fresh ice and strain the Papa Doble into the glass.
03
Wrap a folded paper towel around the lower half of the rocks glass and secure it with a rubber band. This old-school detail absorbs condensation, gives the cold glass a better grip, and keeps it from slipping in the hand as the ice begins to melt.

Lion Chef note

The paper-towel wrap is intentional rather than decorative: it catches the glass’s condensation and provides a dry, secure grip—an informal presentation suited to this spare, Hemingway-inspired drink.

Havana spirit

Why the humble paper towel belongs

The Papa Doble is direct and unadorned, but its practical glass wrap carries part of the drink’s character.

A dry, steady grip

A cold rocks glass quickly develops condensation in tropical weather. The paper towel catches that moisture, while the rubber band keeps the wrap neatly in place.

Keep it unfussy

This is not a precious garnish. Its usefulness suits the drink: strong aged rum, fresh lime, ice, and nothing unnecessary.

Serve it cold

Shake firmly, strain over fresh ice, and apply the wrap just before serving so the glass remains comfortable to hold from the first sip to the last.