The Mojito is one of those classic cocktails recipes that has had a resurgence in recent years. In fact, you can now find a mojito on practically every summer drink menu at every bar or restaurant. But what makes a good mojito is as much the recipe as the rum.
The exact origins of the Mojito are mostly unknown. It seems that no one can identify exactly when the drink was born but we do know where. The drink was first served in Cuba. Moreover, it came about almost by accident; one could say almost out of necessity. Like many other spirits of the era, it was used for medicinal purposes. It was a local cure for tropical illnesses. The ingredients were aguardiente de caña (which translates to fire water, which was a crude form of rum made from sugar cane) added with the local tropical ingredients; lime, sugarcane juice and mint. In reality, drinking lime juice in itself would have staved off scurvy and dysentery but this was much more fun. The further addition of mint and sugar helped hide the harsh taste of the spirit.
The drink didn’t take off and gain its reputations as a classic cocktail until the prohibition era. The United States was mostly booze free and it was still a major trading partner with Cuba at the time. So it comes as no surprise that the Mojito became popular with the American tourists. By now, the rum itself had evolved into a more refined spirit and was more widely available. Bartenders soon started updating the crude cocktail and the Mojito was born. The recipe remains fairly unchanged to this very day with only 4 simple ingredients: rum, sugar, lime, and mint. It’s no surprise as to why it became the perfect summer cocktail. And the official drink of Havana. Although some hotels in Cuba cut the sweetness with some bitters. Here’s our updated take on the Mojito made with some great rum from El Dorado.
Diamond Mojito
- 50ml El Dorado 3 Year Old
- 6 -10 whole mint leaves
- 25ml fresh lime juice
- 10ml sugar syrup
Place 6 -10 mint leaves in a glass and add 10ml sugar syrup, 25ml freshly squeezed lime juice and 50ml El Dorado 3 Year Old. Fill glass with crushed ice and churn thoroughly. Top with more crushed ice and garnish with a mint sprig. Enjoy.
