Cohiba, Short 10's Recipe

Chill glass

Place an old-fashioned (rocks) glass in the freezer for 5–10 minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the drink to ensure a cold serving vessel.

Combine spirits and modifiers

In a mixing glass or shaker without ice, add 2 tbs añejo rum, 1 tbs cognac, 1 tbs coffee liqueur, 0.5 tbs fresh lime juice, 0.5 tbs simple syrup, and 2 tsp Angostura bitters. Stir briefly to combine — this helps dissolve the syrup and distribute the bitters.

Mix and chill

Add a generous amount of ice to the mixing glass (enough to nearly fill). Stir the mixture for 20–30 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted (about 15–25% dilution by eye), or if you prefer a slightly more aerated texture, give a quick 8–10 second hard shake and then strain.

Prepare the glass

Remove the chilled glass from the freezer or discard the ice water. Place a single large ice cube into the glass.

Strain and finish

Using a fine strainer, strain the chilled cocktail into the prepared rocks glass over the large ice cube. This yields a smooth, concentrated drink with balanced sweetness, acidity, and bitters.

Express orange oils and garnish

Take the orange peel and hold it skin-side down over the glass about 2–3 inches above the drink. Give it a sharp twist to express the oils across the surface, then run the peel rim around the glass and drop it into the drink. Optionally add the cinnamon stick as a visual aromatic accent.

Serve

Serve immediately. Encourage the drinker to sip slowly—the large ice cube will melt slowly, preserving balance while gently opening flavors.