Every once and a while you stumble across something amazing. That is exactly what happened with today’s drink. After making the French 75 a while ago and then the Lone Ranger, I started researching other drinks that incorporated champagne or sparkling wine. This one seemed a little weird, but we had some cheap prosecco burning a hole in our pocket so we gave it a shot. Join me now as we stand and make the Old Cuban.

I did not have high hopes for this one, I would have said that I am not generally a fan of sparkling wine drinks, but the few I have made lately prove that is a lie. I absolutely loved the French 75, after years of turning them down and this Cuban inspired drink also made me smile broadly. I can usually figure out what a drink has going on just by looking at the ingredients, but sometimes I am surprised, this is one of the reasons I love tiki drinks. They often have so much going on that you end up with flavor combinations coming forward that I don’t foresee. I love that element of surprise. This drink is kind of like that. Let’s make it and chat about the taste in the epilogue.

Grab your tins and pop in 1 1/2 ounces of dark rum, I went with Havana Club 7 year because a Cuban drink deserves a Cuban rum; 3/4 ounces of fresh squeezed lime juice, 1/2 an ounce of simple syrup, 6 fresh mint leaves and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters. Shake with ice, double strain into a chilled coupe and top with champagne or sparkling wine, we used cheap dry prosecco from Aldi. Garnish with a lime twist and serve.

This drink is sort of amazing, the light and airy bastard child of a mojito and a daiquiri. It really is a nearly perfect Cuban drink. Strong rum and lime flavor, with that mint just hanging there on the edge, the merest whisper of mint and all of it floating off to heaven on the bubbles. A seriously solid contender for a hot afternoon on the veranda, which we certainly have today. Make this, drink it, be refreshed. Do this in remembrance of me. Stay safe, stay hydrated and stay sane, my friends.