An unusual one from the bar book of Havana’s famous El Floridita, where Hemingway drank (although probably not these). Benjamin Menéndez? Probably not the famous cigar-maker of that name, since he was born in 1937, around the time this recipe first appears. Still, there might be some connection—the other name for the drink is the “Smoked Cocktail.” That probably alludes to the Scotch, but there may be more to it than that. We’ll never know.
2 ounces blended Scotch whisky
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Grand Marnier
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
1 sprig mint, leaves only
Shake gently but thoroughly and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
