Old Cuban
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 12.9% ABV ∙
The Old Cuban is an IBA contemporary classic of aged rum, mint, lime, simple syrup and aromatic bitters, topped with Champagne in a cocktail glass. Fresh, cooling mint and a warm baking spice edge lead the palate, while a crisp, dry effervescence lifts a complex, barrel-aged sugarcane backbone
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake the ingredients with ice: Fresh mint leaves 8 pcsJamaican aged rum 45 mlLime juice 22 mlSugar syrup 30 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 2 dashes
- Strain into the chilled elegant cocktail glass
- Top up with Prosecco extra dry
- Garnish with a mint sprig
Tips
- Shake the mint hard but briefly with the other ingredients — over-shaking bruises it and turns the drink grassy and dull.
- Pre-chill the glass before straining so the Prosecco doesn't flatten against warm glass.
- Add the Prosecco after straining, poured gently rather than shaken, to keep its carbonation intact.
- Garnish with a fresh mint sprig rather than the shaken leaves for a cleaner aromatic lift on the nose.
History
The Old Cuban was created by American bartender Audrey Saunders, who began developing it while working at the New York bar Beacon around 2001 and finished it at Tonic, originally working under the name El Cubano before settling on Old Cuban. She built it as an upscale riff on the Mojito, swapping in aged rum for white rum, adding Angostura bitters, and replacing the club soda with Champagne.
It made its official debut in early 2002 on the menu at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle Hotel, after her mentor, Dale DeGroff, recommended the Carlyle hire her to revamp the bar's cocktail program. The drink spread internationally later that year when The Carlyle sent Saunders to London for a Bemelmans pop-up at The Ritz, introducing it to European press and the city's cocktail scene.
Saunders later placed it on the menu at Pegu Club, the New York bar she opened in 2005, where it became one of her most closely associated and widely imitated creations, particularly popular on bar menus in London.
FAQ
What's in an Old Cuban drink?
An Old Cuban is made with fresh mint, Jamaican aged rum, lime juice, sugar syrup, and a couple of dashes of Angostura bitters, shaken with ice and topped with Prosecco extra dry. It is strained into a cocktail glass and finished with a mint sprig.
How do you make an Old Cuban cocktail?
Shake fresh mint, Jamaican aged rum, lime juice, sugar syrup, and Angostura bitters with ice, then strain into a pre-chilled cocktail glass. Top with Prosecco extra dry and garnish with a mint sprig.
What's the difference between a Mojito and an Old Cuban?
A Mojito is a tall, built highball of rum, mint, lime, sugar, and soda water served over crushed ice, while the Old Cuban is shaken, strained up into a cocktail glass, and topped with Prosecco instead of soda. The Old Cuban also swaps in aged rum and adds Angostura bitters, giving it more depth and a Champagne-cocktail character rather than the Mojito's long, fizzy refreshment.
Which rum is best for an Old Cuban?
A Jamaican aged rum is the standard choice, since its funkier, molasses-driven character stands up to the mint, lime, and Prosecco better than a light rum would. This is the style used in the classic build, giving the drink more backbone than a Mojito.
Is an Old Cuban shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The mint, lime, and sugar need the aeration of a shake to integrate and release the mint's aroma; the Prosecco is then added after straining so it stays fizzy rather than going flat in the shaker.
