This was a lovely cocktail that I made for my wife, a lover of rum. It was a pretty good way to use up some less than stellar champagne that was left over from New Year’s.

• 10 mint leaves, muddled (plus more for garnish)
• ¾ oz fresh lime juice
• 1 oz simple syrup
• 2 oz aged rum
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 2 oz champagne

Directions

1. Muddle mint in shaker with lime juice.
2. Add the simple syrup, aged rum, and bitters and shake with ice.
3. Strain into glass. I used a Hawthorne strainer as well as a sieve to minimize the mint bits in the drink.
4. Top with champagne.