Light Rum, built
Mojito
Barline 2,Q,h,t,Hm
The code is the shorthand off my printed menu; the Key tab decodes every letter.
- 2 oz Light rum
- 3/4 oz Lime juice
- 1/2 oz Simple syrup
- Mint
- top with Soda water
Build in the glass over ice, then lift once with a barspoon.
Highball, iced, mint.
Taste
Two ounces of light rum, three-quarters of lime, half an ounce of simple, mint muddled into the glass, then soda over ice. Bruised mint gives oil; shredded mint gives green. Cane, lime, and cold air. A sprig on top, slapped once to wake it up.
History
The ancestor is the Draque, cane spirit with lime, sugar, and mint, which Cubans were taking daily as medicine by the 1830s and which legend ties to Francis Drake in 1586. When Bacardi's rum replaced the rough aguardiente the drink got the new name. Printed recipes turn up as Mojo Criollo in 1927 and Mojo de Ron in 1929, and the name Mojito appears on the souvenir menu of Sloppy Joe's Bar in Havana for the 1931-32 season, alongside a gin version. La Bodeguita del Medio hangs a note signed by Hemingway claiming his Mojito; Difford's doubts it, since nothing Hemingway published mentions either the drink or the bar. Two ounces of light rum, three-quarters lime, half an ounce of simple, and muddled mint go over ice here, topped with soda.
Same shape, other bottles
The Highball family, with the bottle that changed.
- Gin Fizzgin and lemon juice for light rum and lime juice
- Tom Collinsgin and lemon juice for light rum and lime juice
- Dark and Stormyaged rum and ginger beer for light rum and soda water
- Gin Rickeygin for light rum
- Kentucky Mulebourbon and ginger beer for light rum and soda water
- Mezcal Mulemezcal and ginger beer for light rum and soda water
This is one drink on my home bar's menu. Tick the bottles you own and the menu lists which of all 185 drinks they pour.