The Mojito is one of Cuba’s oldest and most iconic cocktails, with roots stretching back to the 16th century. While its exact origin is shrouded in folklore, some credit the explorer Sir Francis Drake, while others point to African slaves working in Cuban sugar cane fields. Nonetheless, the Mojito gained global fame in the 1930s. Havana’s La Bodeguita del Medio became its most famous home, serving luminaries like Ernest Hemingway. This highball serves a masterclass in delicious balance, utilizing the Big Five of Caribbean flavors: white rum, sugar, lime, mint, and soda water.
Fun Fact: In Cuba, the Mojito was traditionally made with yerba buena, a milder, more aromatic variety of mint than the spearmint typically found in US grocery stores.
How to Make a Classic Mojito
Prep time: 3 minutes
Serves: 1
Ingredients
- 2 oz White Rum (Choose a crisp, lightly aged Cuban-style rum for the most authentic flavor)
- 1 oz Fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz Simple syrup (Or 2 teaspoons of superfine sugar)
- 8-10 Fresh mint leaves
- 2-3 oz Club soda (To top)
- Pinch of salt (Optional, to make the mint notes pop)
- Garnish: A generous sprig of fresh mint & a lime wheel
Instructions
- Prep the mint: Add the mint leaves, simple syrup (or sugar), and lime juice to a highball glass. Gently muddle the mint to release the essential oils. You want to aromatize the sugar, not pulverize the leaves into green tea.
- Mix: Add the white rum and an optional pinch of salt. Stir briefly to ensure the sugar is fully dissolved if using granulated sugar.
- Chill: Fill the glass halfway with crushed ice (or cubes) and stir vigorously to chill the base.
- Top: Fill the remainder of the glass with more ice, then pour in the club soda.
- Serve: Give it one final, gentle stir to lift the mint from the bottom. Garnish with a large, vibrant mint sprig and be sure to slap it first to release the aroma.
Notes
Rum Choice: Avoid dark or spiced rums, as they will muddy the bright, clean profile of the drink. A quality Silver or Blanco rum allows the lime and mint to remain the stars of the show.
The Slap: Aroma is 80% of the tasting experience with a Mojito. Always slap your mint garnish against your hand before placing it in the glass to ensure the drinker gets a burst of fresh mint on the nose with every sip.
Muddling Tip: If you don’t have a muddler, use the back of a wooden spoon. Focus on pressing the stems and leaves against the bottom of the glass rather than twisting or grinding them.
Carbonation: Always add the club soda last. Adding it too early or stirring too aggressively will cause the drink to lose its refreshing effervescence.
