The Macua is the national drink of Nicaragua. It is a fresh slightly sour drink that perfectly balance the sweetness of the guava with the sourness of the lemon.

Brazil has its legendary caïpirinha. Peruvian bartenders serve up pisco sour all night long and who would go to Cuba without trying the local mojito? However, despite having a top-quality domestic rum, Nicaragua had no official national drink until 2006 when a nationwide competition was organized by Flor de Caña and the Nicaraguan hospitality sector in an effort to draw attention to Nicaragua’s possibilities as an emerging leisure destination.

After sampling drinks based on ingredients from all over the country – including local fruits like pitaya, jocote and mamoncillo as well as more unexpected choices like coffee beans and sugar cane – the judges finally agreed on naming a sweet and refreshing guava drink from the shores of Lake Nicaragua the winner.

Owning its name to a tropical bird native to Nicaragua, the Macuá drink was invented by Dr Edmundo Miranda Saenz, a pediatrician from Granada, who enlisted the aid of his immediate family to help him perfect the recipe. All ingredients are produced in Nicaragua; from the tropical fruits to the sugar canes used to make rum and sugar. It is still possible to visit Dr Edmundo Miranda Saenz in Granada. The bar is hard tucked away in the center of a block. The bar do however serve the countries best macua so it is well worth looking for. ¡Salud!

Macua ingredients

• 2 parts white Flor de Caña rum
• 2 parts guava juice
• 1 part lemon juice
• Sugar to taste
• 1 cup of crushed ice
• 1 slice of lemon or orange for garnish

How to make El Macuá

• Blend all ingredients with ice.
• Pour into a highball glass.
• Garnish the glass with the citrus slice.
• Serve immediately.