Mojito Cocktail Recipe

Classic Mojito cocktail with fresh mint, lime, rum, soda, and ice in a highball glass.

🌴 Introduction: The Quintessential Summer Sipper

Meet the Mojito—the crisp, minty, lime-kissed cocktail that's basically a vacation in a glass. Born in Cuba but adored globally, this drink is enough charisma to make Hemingway swoon. Perfect for summer days (or any day you're pretending it's summer), the Mojito is proof that even pirates had good taste.

The Mojito's CV: From Pirate Grog to Grammy-Winning Thirst Trap

🏴‍☠️ Pirate OSHA Violation (1500s)

OG Name: El Draque (a.k.a. "Drake's Juice" – named after Sir Francis Drake, the British pirate who definitely didn't have a mixology license).
Vibe Check: Crewmates chugged lime juice + aguardiente (proto-rum) + roadside mint to fight scurvy. Imagine a health smoothie that tastes like regret and gunpowder.
Yelp Review: "1/5 stars. Tastes like a hospital floor, but hey – my gums stopped bleeding!"

🎩 Sugar Daddy Glow-Up (1800s)

Plot Twist: Cuban plantation bosses rebranded the pirate swill into "Mint Lemonade for Rich People™" – complete with actual drinkable rum.
Cultural Collab: African slaves grew the mint, Spanish colonizers brought the sugarcane, and everyone conveniently forgot to mention this at cocktail parties.
Mystery Flair: The 1900s Cuban recipe book had a "Mojito" entry… but half the page was stained with coffee (probably by a bartender who'd had three too many).

🎬 Celebrity Side Hustle Era (1900s–Now)

Hemingway's Resume: Wrote The Old Man and the Sea by day, downed 12 mojitos nightly at La Bodeguita. His secret? "Write drunk, edit hungover."
Cold War Drama: U.S. embargoed Cuban rum in the 1960s, forcing bartenders to make mojitos with… checks notes… tears and desperation.
Jay Chou's Mojito: The hit song "Mojito" was released in 2020, leading to a surge in sales of mojito cocktails.

🧪 NASA-Approved Mojito Formula (Measurements So Precise They'll Trigger Your High School Chem Teacher)

Ingredient	Quantity	Pro Tips
White Rum	2 oz	Don't substitute tequila unless you want Cuban ancestors to haunt you
Fresh Lime	1 whole (≈1.5 oz)	Squeezed, not bottled!
Mint Leaves	10-12 leaves	Backyard-grown > grocery store "sad herbs"
Cane Sugar/Syrup	2 tsp(10g)	Or ¾ oz simple syrup
Club Soda	3 oz	Sparkling water works too
Crushed Ice	As needed	make you cool

🧑🍳 Step-by-Step Guide (Guaranteed to Impress or Your Sobriety Back)

Muddle the Mint: Place the mint leaves in a highball glass. Gently muddle them to release their aromatic oils. Be careful not to shred the leaves into a green mess—this isn't a salad.
Add the Good Stuff: Pour in the white rum, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup. Stir gently to combine.
Ice, Ice, Baby: Fill the glass with Crushed Ice.
Top It Off: Top with club soda. Give it a gentle stir to mix.
Garnish and Serve: Garnish with a sprig of mint and a slice of lime. Serve immediately and enjoy the refreshing taste of the tropics.

🕵️ Decoding the Classic Charm of the Mojito

The Mojito's allure lies in its perfect balance of flavors: the coolness of mint, the tartness of lime, the sweetness of sugar, and the kick of rum, all brought together with a fizzy splash of soda water. It's a cocktail that dances on your palate, making it a perennial favorite for those seeking refreshment with a twist.

💡 Fun Facts

Celebrity Endorsement: Ernest Hemingway is often associated with the Mojito, thanks to his (possibly apocryphal) endorsement at La Bodeguita del Medio.
James Bond's Choice: While 007 is famous for his martinis, in the movie "Die Another Day", he actually orders a mojito. Even super spies need to chill out sometimes.
Global Popularity: In 2016, the Mojito was reported as the most popular cocktail in Britain and France.
Name Game: The term "Mojito" may derive from "mojo", a Cuban seasoning made with lime, or from the Spanish word "mojadito," meaning "a little wet."
Mint Matters: In Cuba, the preferred mint for Mojitos is "yerba buena," known for its mild flavor. Elsewhere, spearmint is commonly used, offering a stronger minty punch.

WARNING: Side effects may include:

Sudden urge to buy a Panama hat

Mistaking lawn weeds for mint

Belief that you could totally open a tiki bar