Mojito (Cuban-style)
A refreshing, sour and bubbly rum cocktail ∙ Muddle ∙ 3 min ∙ 13.7% ABV ∙
The Mojito (Cuban-style) is a muddled highball of white rum, fresh mint, lime, and sugar, topped with soda and built in the same glass it's served in.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- In the base of the chilled glass, lightly muddle: Fresh mint leaves 10 pcs
- Add the next 4 ingredients: Lime juice 20 mlSugar syrup 10 mlSaline solution 2 dashes (opt.)White rum 60 ml
- Briefly stir to combine and lift the mint with a bar spoon
- Fill the glass with cubed ice
- Top with Soda water and briefly stir
- Garnish with aromatic bitters drops and mint sprigs
Tips
- Press the mint gently and only briefly; grind it hard or long and the torn leaves make the drink bitter and grassy.
History
The Mojito (Cuban-style) is adapted from a recipe by Julio Cabrera, a Cuban-born cantinero and founder of Café La Trova in Little Havana, Miami, who worked behind bars in Cuba, Italy, and Mexico before settling in Miami. His approach favors a spare, traditional cantinero method built on freshly muddled mint, lime juice, and sugar. He aims to match the drink as it is poured in Havana rather than the more elaborate versions found in many international bars.
The Mojito itself is a much older Cuban highball, generally traced to Havana, though its exact origin is disputed among several claimants.
FAQ
What is a Cuban-style Mojito?
A Mojito poured the way Havana cantineros make it: mint lightly muddled in the glass, then white rum, lime juice and sugar syrup, ice and a soda top. It is finished with drops of aromatic bitters and a mint sprig; a little saline is optional.
How do you make a Cuban Mojito?
Lightly muddle mint in a chilled glass, then stir in lime juice, sugar syrup, optional saline solution, and white rum, lifting the mint off the bottom. Fill the glass with ice, top with soda water, stir briefly, and garnish with aromatic bitters drops and a mint sprig.
Are mojitos Mexican or Cuban?
Cuban. The Mojito is generally traced to Havana, and it is made with white rum, not tequila or mezcal.
What are common Mojito mistakes?
Over-muddling the mint, which pulls out bitter, grassy flavors instead of just its aroma, and stirring too long after the soda goes in, which flattens the fizz.
