DARK RUM SOUTHSIDES

Dark Rum Southsides image

Provided by Ina Garten

Time 15m

Yield 4 drinks

Number Of Ingredients 8

12 large mint leaves plus 4 large sprigs
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (4 limes)
1/2 cup simple syrup (see Cook's Note)
1 cup dark rum, such as Mount Gay
1 cup ice, plus extra for serving
1 1/2 cups sparkling water, such as San Pellegrino, chilled
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Steps:

Put the mint leaves and 2 of the lime wedges in a large cocktail shaker and muddle them with a muddler or a long-handled wooden spoon. Add the lime juice, simple syrup, rum, and ice and stir 40 times with a long-handled swiveling cocktail spoon or the wooden spoon. Add the sparkling water and salt and stir well.
For each drink, fill a low cocktail glass half full with ice, add a mint sprig and a wedge of lime, and pour over the cocktail mixture. Stir and serve ice cold.