Sweet, tart and effervescent, the Airmail Cocktail is a classic blend of rum, lime, honey and champagne. Thought to have been created by Bacardi in the 1930s to celebrate the launch of airmail service between Cuba and Miami, this elegant and balanced drink carries a rich history with every sip.
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About this Airmail Cocktail recipe
Confession: I love champagne cocktails. All of them. Put champagne in a cocktail and I’ll like it. (Probably, anyway.) It is usually mixed with orange liqueur, vodka or gin, but it can be really great with other spirits. The Seelbach cocktail with bourbon is a great example.
When I stumbled across a recipe for the Airmail cocktail a while back and read it is an elegant concoction of rum plus champagne, I knew I had to make it ASAP! Pour champagne over a base of gold rum, fresh lime juice and honey and you’ve got a classy, classy cocktail from the days when the postal service ruled.
Note from the author
2025 update: I first shared this recipe soon after I started this blog in 2014, and because that feels like so long ago, I figure it’s time to bring it up again! This classic recipe has been refreshed with new images and easier steps — because great recipes should keep getting better!
This recipe is one of the long-forgotten classics that deserves a comeback. This classy cocktail was first introduced in Esquire’s 1949 Handbook for Hosts, but may have originated as early as the 1930s, possibly created by Bacardi to celebrate the launch of airmail service between Havana, Cuba and Miami.
Plus, it is served with a postage stamp for garnish, which makes this mail-loving nerd and philatelist (stamp collector) so happy! I love going through my mom’s stamp collection to study the elaborate postal illustrations from around the world. (Nerd alert, I know.)
At least now I can do it with an amazing champagne cocktail in hand! And you can too — add this one to your mental (or literal) rolodex of cocktail recipes.
More champagne recipes: Champagne Cocktail • Champagne Jello Shots • Champagne Punch
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Rum and champagne are a delicious match. You probably wouldn’t have guessed it, but you’ve got to try it!
- It’s easy to put together! You don’t need any bartender know-how, promise.
- Light and bright, it’s an easy sipper. This is a delicious cocktail for summertime.
Tools & glassware
To pull together an Airmail cocktail, you’ll need a basic bar set that includes a jigger *, strainer and cocktail shaker *.
I also like having a champagne bottle stopper * when I am mixing cocktails with sparkling wine. It keeps the bubbles crisp and fresh!
This champagne cocktail looks great in a highball glass *, but you can certainly serve it in a coupe glass * or champagne flute.
favorite highball glasses
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champagne accessories
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Ingredients
You can find everything you need for Airmail cocktail at most grocery stores. Here’s your ingredient list:
👇 For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card. It’s all there waiting for you!
- Gold rum
- Lime juice
- Honey syrup
- Brut champagne
- Postage stamp, for garnish
- Mint leaves, for garnish
Garnishes
The Airmail cocktail calls for a postage stamp as the garnish! Isn’t that both ridiculous and so fun? I love going to tiki bars and seeing the creative garnishes the bartenders use — like little plastic toys and beautifully carved fruit — but a postage stamp was a new one for me!
I attached them to my glasses with mini clothespins * and added a bamboo straw, some lime slices and a sprig of fresh mint.
Did you know? You can buy used vintage postage stamps *! You can also use any unused stamps, but I prefer saving those for sending mail. The USPS will accept any unused stamp for mail — even vintage ones. (I used vintage stamps on my wedding invitations.)
airmail cocktail garnishes
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Best alcohol
For the champagne, I recommend a brut (meaning dry) champagne. This offsets the sweetness from the honey, rum and citrus. A dry prosecco or any other sparkling wine works too, and for something lighter you can use club soda.
Gold rum adds a richer depth of flavor compared to regular light rum, thanks to its slight aging process, which imparts subtle caramel and vanilla notes. This can help balance the tartness of the lime juice and the dryness of the champagne, creating a smoother, more well-rounded cocktail. Cruzan and Bacardi are great budget buys.
Don’t miss Rum 101 where you can learn more about which bottles to buy.
Instructions
Making a Airmail Cocktail is easy — here’s what to do:
Add rum, lime juice and honey to a cocktail shaker * filled with ice. Shake vigorously, until the shaker is cold in your hand.
Strain into a highball glass *. Slowly top with champagne. Garnish with a postage stamp, if desired. Some lime slices and a sprig of mint are a nice touch too.
Tips & tricks
Keep these simple tricks in mind for a flawless Airmail cocktail:
- Complete the look with a garnish of 1 or 2 vintage postage stamps *!
- Chill the champagne ahead of time for the crispest bubbles.
- Use an aged rum to deepen the flavors.
- Make fresh ice. This is key for most cocktails so they don’t wind up tasting like your freezer!
Food pairings
The perfect drink deserves the perfect snack. Elevate your Airmail cocktail with these delicious ideas:
- Chips and dips: The zesty flavor is perfect with sweet and salty snacks like pita chips and whipped feta dip or tortilla chips and tomatillo salsa.
- Cheesy appetizers: Cheese is a great pairing for champagne. Set up a tasty charcuterie board with lots of nibbles to snack on.
- Zesty and sweet desserts: This sweet and sour cocktail will be delicious with a citrusy dessert like lemon drop cookies. Bubbly-based champagne cupcakes would also be delicious.
FAQ
This drink has historical ties to both Miami and Cuba, believed to have been created around 1930 by Bacardi — when the company was still headquartered in Cuba — to commemorate the launch of airmail service to Miami.
Made with gold rum, honey, lime juice and champagne, the Airmail cocktail tastes like a rum-based French 75. It’s sweet, zesty and has a bite of bubbles.
More rum cocktails
- Cubanita (Rum Bloody Mary)
- Coconut Mojito
- Banana Daiquiri
Share your thoughts! Leave a ★★★★★ review or comment below. We love hearing from you!
Airmail Cocktail
ingredients
- 2 ounces gold rum
- ½ ounce lime juice
- ½ ounce honey syrup
- 5 ounces brut champagne
- 1 postage stamp for garnish
instructions
- Add rum, lime juice and honey to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously.
- Pour into a Collins glass *. Slowly top with champagne. Garnish with a postage stamp, if desired.
notes
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Anne says
It would be so cute if this was on a menu in a tourist town and they gave you a postcard with the drink to fill out!
Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
Like you, I’m a big fan of snail mail… and champagne cocktails. I’ve never tried an Airmail before, but you know I’ve got to give it a go now!
Emily says
Now that I’m pregnant I’m REALLY craving this! YUM!