Mojito

A Mojito is a rum cocktail built in a highball glass, with muddled mint, lime and sugar, cracked ice and soda water. It tastes cool, bright and lightly sweet, with mint on the nose and a dry fizzy finish. CBC Liquors, Westford stocks the white rum and the soda water for it, and this page covers the balance, the technique, the twists and a pitcher version.

Why does a Mojito taste so refreshing?

A Mojito tastes refreshing because every ingredient has one job and none of them fights the others. White rum gives a clean, lightly sweet base without heavy oak or spice. Lime juice adds sharp acidity, and sugar rounds that acidity off so the drink is tart but not harsh. Mint adds a cool, green aroma that you smell with every sip. Soda water lengthens everything, adds bubbles and keeps the sweetness in check.

The balance depends on the lime and sugar sitting close to even, with the rum behind them. If the drink tastes flat, it usually needs a little more lime. If it tastes sharp, it needs a little more sugar or a gentler squeeze of lime.

Where does the Mojito come from?

The Mojito comes from Cuba, and its history is usually told through Havana. The most common story links it to an older mix of rum, lime, sugar and mint drunk on the island long before the modern cocktail, and says the version with soda water took shape in Havana bars in the twentieth century. Exactly who first made it, and when, is argued over, so treat any single date or inventor with caution.

What is clear is that the drink spread well beyond Cuba and became one of the best-known rum cocktails in the world.

How do you make a Mojito well?

Make a Mojito well by pressing the mint gently, not crushing it. Muddle the mint leaves with the sugar and lime juice in the highball glass just enough to bruise the leaves and release their oils. Tearing them to pieces turns the drink bitter and leaves green flecks in every sip.

Fill the glass with cracked ice, which chills quickly and dilutes at a steady pace. Pour in the white rum, top with soda water, then stir gently so the mint and sugar mix through without knocking out the bubbles. Finish with a mint sprig; slap it lightly against your palm first to wake up the aroma.

Common mistakes: using bottled lime juice that has lost its brightness, skipping the stir so the sugar sits at the bottom, and pouring the soda hard so it goes flat.

What are the common twists on a Mojito?

The most common twist on a Mojito is to add fruit, such as muddled strawberry, raspberry or mango, alongside the mint. Another twist is to swap the white rum for a lightly aged rum for a rounder, warmer drink. Some people use a flavoured sparkling water or a splash of ginger beer in place of plain soda water for a spicier finish.

Each of these is a change to the recipe on this page, not part of it. Make the classic first so you know the balance, then change one thing at a time and adjust the lime and sugar to suit.

How do you make a Mojito for a crowd?

To make Mojitos for a crowd, build a base in a pitcher and finish each glass to order. Muddle the mint gently with the sugar and lime juice in the pitcher, stir in the white rum, and chill it. Add the soda water and ice only when you pour, because soda goes flat and ice left in the pitcher melts and waters everything down.

You can make the base a few hours ahead and keep it in the refrigerator, though the mint is at its best fairly soon after muddling, so strain or stir well before serving. Pour over fresh cracked ice in each highball glass, top with soda water, stir gently and garnish each one with a mint sprig.

Can you make a Mojito without alcohol?

Yes, you can make a Mojito without alcohol, and it is a good choice for anyone who is not drinking. Muddle the mint with the sugar and lime juice in a highball glass, fill it with cracked ice, then top with soda water and stir gently. Leave out the rum and garnish with a mint sprig as usual.

Without the rum, the drink is lighter and more tart, so you may want a little more sugar or a splash of extra lime to keep it from tasting thin. A little more mint also helps it feel full-flavoured.

What do you need to buy for a Mojito at CBC Liquors in Westford?

For a Mojito you need white rum and soda water from CBC Liquors in Westford, and the rest comes from your kitchen. On the Rum shelf, the white rum brands in stock for this recipe are Privateer, Myers's and Probitas. On the Mixers shelf, the brand in stock for soda water is Fever Tree.

The lime, sugar and fresh mint are the kitchen part, so pick those up with your groceries. You can add the rum and mixer to your order on this page and collect it at the store at 142 Littleton Rd, Westford. CBC Liquors also offers delivery and shipping.