Rickey (cocktail) version made with dark rum instead of gin or whisky. Invented at the Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel in Washington, D.C.'s Capitol Hill district in 2016, this refreshing summer beverage's popularity has increased recently and it's not uncommon to see visiting foreign dignitaries enjoy a cold Johnny Rickey at one of the countless embassy building courtyards found throughout the District. The mojito cocktail is a relative of the rickey that originated in Cuba. A mojito is made with lime juice, rum, simple syrup or muddled sugar, soda water, and freshly muddled mint leaves. The D.C. Craft Bartenders Guild, an independent guild
Cuban sugar economy Cuban sugar economy The Cuban sugar economy is the principal agricultural economy in Cuba. Historically, the Cuban economy relied heavily on sugar exports, but sugar production has declined since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. In 2015, raw sugar accounted for $378 million of Cuba's $1.4 billion exports. Spain began growing sugarcane in Cuba in 1523, but it was not until the 18th century that Cuba became a prosperous sugar-producing colony. In 1791, The Haitian Revolution influenced Cuban planters to demand the free importation of slaves and the easing of trade relations in an effort to replace Haiti