Happier Holidays

With an Old Cuban:

• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce simple syrup
  
• 1 1/2 ounce aged rum (Bacardi 8 Anejo)
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 6 mint leaves
• 2 ounces champagne

Muddle 6 mint leaves in freshly squeezed lime juice and simple syrup. Add rum and bitters. Shake with ice. Strain (double-strain if you don't want bits of mint in the drink) into chilled and sugar-rimmed cocktail glass (champagne, martini, or sour glass). Top with champagne, garnish with mint leaf or a sugar-coated vanilla bean.

Created by Audrey Saunders from Pegu Club days