| Drink | Mojito, a Cuban cocktail with rum, lime and mint |
| Base | White rum, lime, mint, cane sugar and sparkling water |
| In our recipe | 5 cl Bacardi Carta Blanca, 3 cl lime wedges, 8-10 mint leaves, 2 tsp cane sugar, 2-3 cl sparkling water |
| Method | Sugar and lime are pressed in the glass, rum and mint are added, topped with ice and sparkling water |
| Garnish | A little extra lime and mint |
| The rum | Bacardi Carta Blanca, 37.5% |
| IBA recipe | 4.5 cl white rum, 2 cl lime juice, 6 sprigs of mint, 2 tsp sugar, soda water |
How to make a Mojito
Put the sugar in the bottom of your glass and squeeze the lime wedges into it. Add the rum and stir to mix and dissolve the sugar. Pat the mint lightly in your hand and place the leaves in the glass before filling with ice. Add the sparkling water and stir lightly, preferably from the bottom up, so the mint comes up from the bottom. Garnish with a little extra lime and mint.
Mojito history: what do we know?
Havana, Cuba is usually pointed to as the birthplace of the mojito, but the origin is disputed. One explanation is that sailors mixed lime, sugarcane and mint into rum, both as medicine and to take the edge off it. The lime was meant to help against scurvy. Rum became common around 1650, and the ingredients were used long before the drink got its name.
The name is also unresolved. Some point to mojo, a Cuban lime-based seasoning, others to mojadito, Spanish for lightly wet. The story that Sir Francis Drake invented it does not quite hold, since his El Draque was made with brandy. Hemingway is often mentioned as a mojito fan, and a handwritten note at La Bodeguita del Medio is attributed to him. His biographers doubt both the visits and that he liked the drink.
About Bacardi Carta Blanca
The rum in our recipe is Bacardi Carta Blanca, a white rum of 37.5%. According to Wikipedia, Bacardi was founded in 1862 by Facundo Bacardí Massó in Santiago de Cuba. Today most of the rum comes from Puerto Rico.
| | Our Mojito / the IBA Mojito |
| Rum | 5 cl Bacardi Carta Blanca / 4.5 cl white rum |
| Lime | 3 cl lime wedges / 2 cl lime juice |
| Sugar | 2 tsp cane sugar / 2 tsp sugar |
| Mint | 8-10 mint leaves / 6 sprigs |
| Top | 2-3 cl sparkling water and ice / soda water |
| Method | Lime and sugar pressed in the glass / mint, sugar and lime muddled |
The IBA recipe is from Wikipedia. Ours uses a little more rum and lime, but the method is the same: everything is built in the glass.
Tips for your Mojito
Use fresh mint leaves and pat them so they release their aroma. Fill the glass with ice. You will find the equipment here: cocktail equipment. Making several at once? Press the lime beforehand, as described in the tip above. If you want a fruity version, read about our Strawberry Mojito.
Our verdict on the Mojito
The Mojito is simple and fresh, and it is a drink where fresh ingredients matter, because there is nothing to hide behind. It is a bit more work than a drink you just pour into the glass, but it is manageable. If you want it sweeter, use a little more sugar.
Frequently asked questions about the Mojito recipe
What is a Mojito?
A Cuban cocktail of white rum, lime, mint, sugar and sparkling water, served with plenty of ice.
What is in a Mojito?
In our recipe it is 5 cl Bacardi Carta Blanca, 3 cl lime wedges, 8-10 fresh mint leaves, 2 tsp cane sugar and 2-3 cl sparkling water.
Which rum should I use for a Mojito?
White rum. We use Bacardi Carta Blanca, 37.5%.
Which mint should I use?
According to Wikipedia, yerba buena, Mentha × villosa, is most common in Cuba. Outside Cuba, spearmint is the most common.
Why should the mint be patted?
To release the aroma without tearing the leaves to pieces. Wikipedia says the mint should be bruised, not shredded.
Can I use sugar syrup instead of sugar?
Yes. Use 2.5 cl lime juice and 1 cl sugar syrup and make the rest as in the recipe. Make the syrup from 2 parts sugar to 1 part water, stirred until the sugar is dissolved.
Who invented the Mojito?
Nobody knows for sure. Havana, Cuba is usually named, but the origin is disputed.
Where does the name Mojito come from?
It is unresolved. Some point to mojo, a Cuban lime-based seasoning, others to mojadito, Spanish for lightly wet.
Can I make a Mojito without alcohol?
Yes, just leave out the rum. According to Wikipedia a mojito without alcohol is called a virgin mojito or nojito.
What is the garnish?
A little extra lime and mint.
Read more about rum cocktails
See all our drink recipes here at Whisky.dk. You can also read Wikipedia on the mojito.
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