The Magic Behind Mojito Mixology

The Mojito is a classic rum cocktail consisting of five ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime, sparkling water, and mint. The story often begins with a cocktail named after Sir Francis Drake, the El Draque, dating back to the 1500s. The El Draque, a remedy for scurvy and dysentery, mixed lime and mint with rum. The distillation processes available were not as refined; the spirits contained elements like fusel oils and other aspects with unpleasant flavors. Lime and mint softened the harshness of the drink.

A closer relative to the contemporary Mojito is the mixture created by enslaved people forced to work in the sugar cane fields. The name "mojito" dates back to this time. Some say Mojito comes from "mojo," meaning "little spell," while others tie the origin to a traditional Cuban seasoning.

By the late 1800s, the Mojito found its way into bars and taverns in Havana and across Cuba. Bartenders began adding ice, a luxury at the time, to the beverage. In the United States, it rode the wave of popularity in the 1940s and Ernest Hemingway's move to Cuba and his admiration with another rum classic, the Daiquiri. The 1950s turned toward shelf-stable ingredients for food and cocktails; the Mojito patiently awaited its return, beginning in Miami in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Ready to fall under the Mojito's spell? Here's how to make it!

Build in a Collins glass:

Add 6- 8 mint leaves.

Lightly tap leaves (with muddler) to release mint oils.

Add: 1 1/2 oz Rum

3/4 oz Simple Syrup

3/4 oz Lime Juice

Briefly stir ingredients together.

Fill with ice. Top with soda water.

Garnish with a lime wedge and a sprig of mint.*

*Clap the leaves in the palm of your hand, or smack the leaves on the back of your hand to release the oils for the mint garnish

Enjoy!