Cocktail College The Air Mail
Oct 2, 2025
Leanne Favre, the beverage director of Dolores in Brooklyn, is a renowned expert in rum-forward cocktails. In this engaging discussion, she dives into the Air Mail cocktail's Cuban origins and its connections to classics like the French 75. Leanne shares her insights on selecting the right rum, the significance of sparkling wine in cocktails, and the balance of fresh lime and honey syrup for optimal flavor. She encourages bartenders to experiment while preserving the Air Mail's essence, making it a must-try drink for cocktail enthusiasts.
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Airmail Is A Rum French 75
- The Airmail is essentially a rum-based riff on the French 75 combining rum, lime, honey, and sparkling wine.
- It promises an effervescent, glamorous cocktail that sits between a French 75 and an Old Cuban.
Prohibition-Era Cuba Spawned The Drink
- During Prohibition many American bartenders relocated to Cuba and helped create or popularize cocktails like the Airmail.
- Leanne traces the cocktail to a Bacardi recipe card from when Bacardi rum was still made in Cuba.
Choose Rum By Historical Style
- Rums of the 1920s-30s were funkier, pot-still styles unlike many modern industrial white rums.
- Choosing a historically minded rum changes the cocktail's texture and flavor fundamentally.