Cocktails

Start your own rum rebellion with this twist on the mojito

Read Time 4 Minutes

Posted 02 Aug 2023

By Vintage Cellars

If you love a mojito, it’s time to get acquainted with the Old Cuban – a refreshing rum cocktail lifted with a splash of sparkling wine.

An Old Cuban is a mojito in disguise. While still sweet, tart and sparkly, swapping the classic white rum for an aged dark one gives it an edgy new identity. An Old Cuban is the sultry siren in a smoke-filled bar, or maybe the dashing gentleman destined to fall for her. A cocktail filled with mystery, with the vanilla and caramel notes of the rum meeting silky sugar syrup, a burst of lime and, of course, the ever-enigmatic Angostura bitters – all topped with the elegance of sparkling wine. Let the Old Cuban transport you to wherever you choose, from a poolside deckchair in summer to a chesterfield couch when the weather gets chilly.

How to make an Old Cuban cocktail

Ingredients (serves 2)

Ice cubes, to serve

1 sprig mint

40ml Cawsey’s Sugar Syrup

60ml Lemon Fresh Lime Juice

90ml Flor De Caña 12YO Rum

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Chilled Croser NV, to serve

Mint sprigs, extra, to serve

Method

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the mint, sugar syrup, lime juice, rum and bitters. Shake for 30 secs or until well combined and chilled.

2. Strain into 2 serving glasses and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with extra mint.

Tip To make your own sugar syrup, place ½ cup (110g) caster sugar and ½ cup (125mL) water in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Not old, nor Cuban

Invented in New York in 2001, the Old Cuban gets its name from the use of aged rum, plus a nod to Cuba’s national drink – the mojito. Using Flor de Caña in this Old Cuban recipe is at the heart of its success. Mature and elegant, this 12-year-old premium rum is from a fifth-generation estate that’s proudly carbon-neutral and distilled using 100% renewable energy. Also sugar-free, Flor de Caña’s woody, vanilla and baked apple flavours work perfectly with the peachy biscuity character of chilled Croser NV. Such is the popularity of the Old Cuban, it made it onto the International Bartender Association’s list of official cocktails, along with manhattans, martinis and black Russians.

What about the bitters?

A key ingredient in many of the worlds’ finest cocktails, Angostura Bitters lends its unique charm to this Old Cuban recipe. Made from the root of the gentian plant, which is also used in traditional medicine to aid digestion, Angostura bitters help to balance the sweetness while adding a herby peppery flavour.

Here’s what’s next on your cocktail list

With a bottle of aged rum in your liquor cabinet, you’re all set to enjoy an Old Cuban, a Rum Old Fashioned or perhaps a Gingerbread Rum Spritzer if you’re feeling festive. Meanwhile, the bitters will come in handy when you want to make a Lemon Lime Punch or a classic Champagne cocktail (make it with the Croser for a homegrown version). Plus, Croser NV is a key ingredient in our must-try Negroni spritz cocktail, also called a Negroni sbagliato.

Products featured are available from 02/08/23 to 05/09/23, while stocks last. Some products or varieties featured may not be available in all stores.