Old Cuban Recipe: Aged Rum, Mint and Champagne

Ingredients

1½ oz aged rum a rum aged a few yearse.g. Havana Club · Diplomático · Mount Gay · Appleton Estate · Bacardi
¾ oz lime juice
1 oz simple syrup
2 dash Angostura bittersBuy on Amazon →
6 leaves mint leaves 6 to 8 leaves
2 oz champagne brut, well chillede.g. Moët & Chandon · Veuve Clicquot · Taittinger · Laurent-Perrier · Pommery

Garnish: Mint sprig · Ice: Served up, no ice

Method

Gently press the mint leaves with the syrup in the base of a shaker.
Add aged rum, lime juice and Angostura, then fill with ice.
Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
Double strain into a chilled coupe to catch the mint fragments.
Top with cold brut Champagne and garnish with a small mint sprig.

Watch it made

Old Cuban

Taste

Fresh mint and tart lime up front, then caramel and gentle spice from the aged rum, finished by dry, lively bubbles. Medium strength, crisp and elegant.

History and origin

The Old Cuban was created by New York bartender Audrey Saunders in the early 2000s, during the years when she helped shape the city's modern cocktail revival. She later ran the influential Pegu Club in SoHo, where the drink became one of the house signatures.

The idea borrows from two classics at once: the Mojito, with its rum, lime, sugar and mint, and the French 75 style of finishing a sour with sparkling wine. Aged rum and a couple of dashes of Angostura give it more depth than a Mojito. The IBA later added the Old Cuban to its New Era Drinks, confirming its status as a modern classic.

Bartender tips

Press the mint, do not shred it: rough muddling releases bitter, grassy notes.
Pour the Champagne last and slowly down the side of the glass so the bubbles survive.
If your rum is on the sweet side, cut the syrup to 20 ml; the Champagne adds a little sweetness too.

Variations

Old Cuban with Cava or Crémant: Use a dry Spanish Cava or French Crémant instead of Champagne: a little fruitier and far cheaper, but the same idea.
Long Old Cuban: Build it in a highball glass over ice and top with more sparkling wine for a lighter, longer drink.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an Old Cuban and a Mojito?

The Old Cuban uses aged rum instead of white rum, adds Angostura bitters and is topped with Champagne instead of soda water. It is served straight up in a coupe, not over crushed ice.

Can I use prosecco instead of Champagne?

Yes, but choose a dry brut. Prosecco is fruitier and softer, so the drink becomes a little sweeter.

Who invented the Old Cuban?

It was created by New York bartender Audrey Saunders in the early 2000s.

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