The cocktail Hemingway famously ordered at El Floridita was the Papa Doble, a powerful variation of the daiquiri associated with his nickname, “Papa.”
According to the familiar story, Hemingway tried El Floridita’s standard daiquiri and asked for it without sugar and with twice the rum. The resulting drink became known as the Papa Doble, or “Papa’s double.” Its strong, unsweetened profile reflected Hemingway’s stated preference, though accounts of the exact original recipe vary.
The Papa Doble is often confused with the Hemingway Special. They are related but not identical: the later Hemingway Special generally includes lime juice, grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur, and rum. The Papa Doble is the simpler, stronger drink most directly connected to Hemingway’s order at the Havana bar. El Floridita’s bartender Constantino Ribalaigua, known as Constante, played a central role in developing and popularizing the drink. Hemingway’s association with the bar helped make both the daiquiri and El Floridita internationally famous.