Airmail Cocktail Recipe • Novel Nightcaps

Name: Airmail
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 3 fl oz Sparkling Wine; 1.5 fl oz Dark Rum; 0.75 fl oz Lime Juice; 0.75 fl oz Honey Syrup (Click for Recipe); 1 Lime Peel

Jump To Recipe Print Recipe

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy here.

Cocktail History

The Airmail is a classic cocktail that was first published in 1949 in Esquire’s Handbook For Hosts: A Time-Honored Guide to the Perfect Party. The recipe is essentially a tropical variation of the French 75 that’s made with rum as the base instead of gin or brandy and citrus and honey syrup as the sweeteners. It then tops it all off with refreshing sparkling wine just like the classic but stretches the ingredients over ice in a highball glass instead of a coupe or champagne flute.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Sparkling Wine: This is a carbonated wine made with white or red grapes. We used Villa Bellezza Winery Brillante because it has a light and airy flavor. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Gruvi Non-Alcoholic Prosecco in place of the sparkling wine.

Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with sugarcane, spices, and water that has been barrel aged for a long period of time. We used Appleton Estate Special Gold Rum because it has a delicious rum flavor with notes of vanilla and baking spices. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit in place of the rum.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.

Honey Syrup: This is a sweetener made with honey and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s simple recipe.

Lime Peel: This is the peel of a lime that has been rolled and stuck on a cocktail pick.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. We used one from the I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.

Sale

Volarium Highball Glasses with Heavy Base, Clear Drinking Glasses Set for Water, Juice, Cocktails, Wine, Beer, and Whiskey, 12 1/4 Ounce, Set of 6 (Highball Glasses)

$28.95

PARNOO Highball Glasses – Tall 10 oz. Cocktail Glasses for Cold Beverages – High Ball Glasses Set for Parties, Weddings, Birthdays, & Anniversaries – Dishwasher-Friendly Water Glasses Set of 8

$17.99

LUXU Premium Highball Drinking Glasses (Set of 6)-10 oz Tom Collins Glasses,Clear Tall Glass Cups,Cute Cocktail Glasses,Lead-free Water Glasses Bar Glassware for Mojito Beverages and Mixed Drinks

$21.98

Sale

A Bar Above 14-Piece Professional Bartender Gift Set – Premium Barware Accessories for Home Bar – Bartending Gift Kit Includes Shaker, Jigger, Strainers & More

$98.00

Sale

GE Profile Opal 2.0 with 0.75 Gallon Tank, Chewable Crunchable Countertop Nugget Ice Maker, Scoop included, 38 lbs in 24 hours, Pellet Ice Machine with WiFi & Smart Connected, Stainless Steel

$549.00

A Bar Above Premium Japanese Jigger with 8 Measurements Inside – Professional & Heavy-Duty 304 Stainless Steel Cocktail Double Jigger for Bartending (1 Pack, Stainless Steel)

$16.00

Sale

OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Pairing Knife,Black/Silver,3-1/2-Inch

Sturdy, stainless steel blade; Soft, comfortable, non-slip handle ensures a safe grip; Hand wash with warm, soapy water and promptly dry

$10.99

ALEEHAI Lemon Squeezer Citrus Juicer Hand Press Heavy Duty Manual Squeeze, Aluminium Alloy Manual Fruit Juicer Extractor Tool for Pressing Lemons, Oranges, Pomegranates and Limes – Silver

OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set – Swivel and Julienne

Sharp, durable, Japanese stainless steel blades won’t rust; Straight Peeler all-purpose design for effortless prep

$16.96

I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Picks Martini Picks Set (Pack of 15)

Measure: 4.25″; Material: stainless steel 304, color: silver; Reusable martini olive skewers, stainless steel olive stuffer.

$5.98

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-10-14.

Tasting Notes

The Airmail begins with aromas of lime and dry white wine before featuring the distinct taste of Jamaican rum’s funky flavor profile along with tart citrus balanced by the rich sweetness of the honey, all chased by the zing of sparkling wine in the throat.

Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: As expected, we enjoyed the Airmail and agreed that the rum was the perfect base liquor to stop the sparkling wine from stealing the show as it tends to do. In fact, come summertime when rum is front and center on the menu again, we think we’ll mix up a few more of these for ourselves, air travel or not.

Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The Essential Cocktail Book’s description of this cocktail was a ‘Caribbean-inspired French 75,’ and I thought that was the perfect way to think of it. Over the last year, I’ve learned that I’m likely to love just about any cocktail topped with sparkling wine, and this was another winner. In my opinion, most taste like a flavored bubbly, but the rum really shines in this recipe. I would make this again during the summer months when rum is on the menu but I still want some sparkle.”