“El Macua”: Nicaragua’s Emerging Signature Drink

Many countries including Mexico, Cuba and Russia have one thing in common: Each has a national cocktail that they can truly say represents their country and their culture. This is where Nicaragua falls short. It may have folk music and delicious varieties of food that is one hundred percent authentic Nicaraguan but when it comes to drinks there is every type of cocktail you can think of except for one that represents this country.

Nicaragua is not without its resources it is a country known for its top-quality domestic rum. But instead of using this asset for a truly unique Nicaraguan cocktail drink it is used to add to cocktails that originate elsewhere. This is not to say that no one has attempted to produce this special drink but what has been tried has either not represented Nicaragua or has had links to other cocktail drinks, which are not from this country.

With this in mind it was decided that a competition would be held at the Managua hotel in an attempt to find that special drink. The judges were looking for a variety of things but most important was to find a drink that would be like no other, something authentic that would immediately say Nicaragua the minute you took a sip. Of course the appearance would also be vital as often it is the look that attracts people before the taste.

At the hotel a panel of Nicaraguan judges came together where they were exposed to twenty different concoctions. Some of these drinks were called the Nica rumba, the eruption pinolera, the nicarao, the fantasia del lago, the monbacho en las rochas and the experanza. After much tasting, a little discussion on what they were looking for and a lot of note taking the judges came up with a national winner, a rum-and-guava-juice-based cocktail drink called the “el macua”. The name originates from the “el macua”, a tropical bird, which can be found native in Central America.

The el Macua can be made using one part white rum, one part guava juice, a little ice and sugar and of course don’t forget half a portion of straight lemon juice. The drink is described as being a sweet and fruity drink, yellowish in colour from the guava juice used. The inventor of this now prestigious drink is Dr. Edmundo Miranda whose family was part of his inspirational drink.

Now we can say Mexico has its margarita, Cuba has its mojito, Russian has its vodka and Nicaragua has its El Macua. Hopefully this drink will become closely associated with Nicaragua and be known worldwide as its national drink.