Rum, mint, lime, sugar, soda — Cuba's greatest export.
The Mojito is the classic Cuban highball. Light, minty, crushable on a hot day.
Classic recipe:
- 2 oz white rum (Bacardi, Havana Club, Flor de Caña 4)
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- ¾ oz simple syrup (or 2 tsp sugar)
- 8-10 fresh mint leaves
- 2-3 oz club soda
- Mint sprig + lime wheel garnish
Steps:
1. Place mint leaves in the bottom of a highball glass
2. GENTLY press (don't crush/muddle hard — you want the oils, not the bitter chlorophyll from shredded leaves)
3. Add lime juice and simple syrup
4. Fill glass with crushed ice
5. Pour rum over ice
6. Top with club soda
7. Stir briefly from the bottom up
8. Garnish with a mint sprig (slap the sprig between your palms first to release the aroma)
Glassware: highball glass
The muddling mistake: Most people destroy the mint. You want to PRESS gently — just enough to bruise the leaves and release oils. Over-muddling creates bitter, green-tinged drink.
Variations:
- Coconut Mojito — add 1 oz coconut cream
- Strawberry Mojito — muddle 3 strawberries with the mint
- Mango Mojito — 1 oz mango purée
- Dark Rum Mojito — float dark rum on top (Appleton, Myers's)
- Virgin Mojito — skip the rum. Still delicious.
Pro tips:
- Fresh mint is essential — dried mint doesn't work
- Crushed ice is traditional and correct (not cubed)
- If no crushed ice: fill a zip bag with cubes, wrap in a towel, smash with a rolling pin
- Rum quality matters less than lime + mint freshness here
Store stock: white rum, fresh limes, fresh mint (seasonal — suggest customers grow their own), simple syrup, club soda.