Mojito
Swizzle ∙ 3 min ∙ 16.3% ABV ∙
The Mojito is a Cuban highball of white rum, fresh mint, lime and sugar, swizzled over crushed ice and topped with soda water. Cool mint and bright lime lead over a light rum backbone, the soda water lifting it into a fizzy, refreshing finish made for a hot afternoon.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Add the first 5 ingredients into the chilled glass: White rum 60 mlFresh mint leaves 10 pcsLime juice 15 mlSugar syrup 10 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 3 dashes
- Fill the glass 2/3 full with crushed ice
- Swizzle with a bar spoon
- Fill the glass with more crushed ice
- Top with Soda water
- Garnish with a mint sprig and a lime wedge
Tips
- Press mint leaves gently against the glass before adding other ingredients rather than muddling hard, which releases bitter chlorophyll into the drink.
- Swizzle by spinning the bar spoon rapidly between the palms while moving it up and down through the crushed ice to chill and mix without over-diluting.
- Pack crushed ice to two-thirds of the glass before swizzling, then top up with fresh crushed ice afterward so the soda water floats cold on top.
- Pour the soda water last over the packed ice so carbonation and lift stay intact instead of flattening during the swizzle.
History
The Mojito's roots trace to Havana, Cuba, though its exact origin is debated. Many accounts link it to a 16th-century medicinal drink called "El Draque," associated with the English privateer Sir Francis Drake, made by mixing raw sugarcane spirit with lime, sugar, and mint to mask the harsh taste of the liquor and, some say, to fend off scurvy. Others attribute the drink's creation, and even the name itself, to enslaved Africans working Cuba's sugarcane fields, tracing "mojito" to the African word "mojo," while a rival theory derives the name from the Spanish verb "mojar," meaning "to wet." The drink is said to have taken its modern form and name in the mid-1800s, after Facundo Bacardí founded his rum company and aguardiente in the old Draque recipe was replaced with rum; Bacardí later promoted the Mojito in its advertising. Others credit American visitors during Prohibition-era travel to Cuba with popularizing the format via the Mint Julep. The earliest known written recipe appears as "Mojo Criollo" in the 1927 Cuban book El Arte De Hacer un Cocktail y Algo Más, followed by "Mojo de Ron" in Juan A. Lasa's 1929 Libro de Cocktail. Havana's La Bodeguita del Medio bar is popularly credited as the birthplace of the modern Mojito, a claim tied to Ernest Hemingway's patronage there, though this is regarded as an urban legend rather than a documented fact.
FAQ
How do you make a Mojito?
Build white rum, fresh mint, lime juice, sugar syrup, and a few dashes of Angostura bitters in a chilled glass, then fill two-thirds with crushed ice and swizzle with a bar spoon. Add more crushed ice, top with soda water, and garnish with a mint sprig and a lime wedge. Swizzling chills and combines everything while keeping the mint intact rather than shredded.
What ingredients are in a Mojito?
White rum, fresh mint leaves, lime juice, and sugar syrup, topped with soda water; this build also adds a few dashes of aromatic bitters for extra depth. It is served over crushed ice in a Collins glass with a mint sprig and lime wedge.
What liquor is best for a Mojito?
White rum is the standard choice, prized for its clean, light character that lets the mint and lime lead rather than compete with an aged rum's oak and caramel notes. A crisp, well-filtered white rum gives the smoothest result without dulling the citrus and herb.
Is a Mojito good for diabetics?
A Mojito is not an ideal choice for diabetics, since it relies on sugar syrup and runs around 175 calories per serving, so blood sugar impact should be considered. Anyone managing diabetes should treat it as an occasional drink and check with a doctor about alcohol and sugar intake generally.
What is the secret to a good Mojito?
Fresh mint handled gently is the biggest factor — press it lightly rather than pounding it, since crushed leaves turn bitter and murky. Good crushed ice and a proper swizzle also matter: they chill and dilute the drink evenly without flattening the soda water on top.
What glass is a Mojito served in?
A Collins glass, packed with crushed ice and finished with a mint sprig and a lime wedge on top.
