How To Make A Mojito Cocktail

How To Make A Mojito Cocktail

The Mojito is a classic cocktail popular with drinkers around the world. If you want to know how to make a Mojito, then you've come to the right place, but first a bit of background. The Mojito is a rum cocktail with many variations of the classic Mojito cocktail created over the last few decades. The history of the Mojito cocktail goes back to Cuba around the 16th century. The original name is believed to be the El Draque cocktail named after Sir Francis Drake. Sir Francis Drake was a well known English explorer who visited Cuba in 1586 during his many travels. The original El Draque cocktail was composed of aguardiente, a cane-spirit precursor to Rum and lime, mint, and sugar. The original cocktail was believed to be consumed for medicinal purposes, but then some drinkers might claim that about some cocktails today. Later in the history of the Mojito, the aguardiente was replaced by Rum, and the name changed to Mojito. 

When it comes down to the ingredients for the Mojito, almost all are indigenous to Cuba, which is appropriate. Lime, Rum, mint, and sugar are mixed together with club soda added to create the famous thirst-quenching Mojito cocktail. The Mojito cocktail is most commonly made with unaged white Rum, and this yields a light, crisp flavor for the cocktail. Like with many other cocktails, such as the Negroni, you might want to experiments with using different types of Rum just like you might try different Gin with a Negroni. This experimentation will help you find the taste that you most prefer. If you do use Cuban Rum, you will be creating a more authentic Mojito cocktail; however, many modern Cuban rums tend to be lighter in style than their predecessors.

Where a cocktail such as the Negroni, you are just pouring three spirits together, the Mojito is a slightly more labor-intensive cocktail to create than other cocktails. The main effort involves muddling the mint; however, the payoff is worth the effort once you taste the end result. The flavor of the mint combines with the other ingredients for an extra dose of refreshment that will conjure up images of sitting in a quaint Havana bar while you sip on your Mojito cocktail. 

If you're looking for a bit of history in your cocktails, then the Mojito is said to be the favorite drink of famous writer Ernest Hemingway. Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway could often be found in Havana bar La Bodeguita del Medio sipping on a Mojito. 

Ingredients

• 3 mint leaves
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• 2 ounces white Rum
• 3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
• Club soda, to top
• Garnish: mint sprig
• Garnish: lime wheel

Instructions

1. Gently muddle the mint and add the simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add the lime juice, Rum and ice, and give it a quick shake.
3. Strain into a highball glass over fresh cubes of ice.
4. Top with the club soda.
5. Garnish with a mint sprig and lime wheel.