Shaking up the mojito

Barmen despise making mojitos. The descendant of various Caribbean rum-based cocktails, they only became truly popular in the early 2000s. It’s not that they’re that difficult or require too many ingredients — and they’re nothing compared to hellish drinks like the Ramos gin fizz — but the mojito has several qualities that, combined, make it intensely frustrating.

Namely, the mojito is very refreshing, can be drunk quickly and looks pretty, and therefore one order will spark a rush of others. Yet despite this great demand, it’s not a very bar-friendly drink: I can make dozens of espresso martinis in the time it takes to make far fewer mojitos, because where the elegant coffee drink can be made in large batches, and quickly, the mojito takes a slow muddle and can only be made well one at a time. Mint is also a fickle plant, and one overly bruised leaf will spoil the flavor of the drink.

The result is that bartenders hate making mojitos properly, so you’ll either get a dirty look when asking for one on a busy night, or you’ll be served some poor version, made carelessly or — even worse — with mint syrup.

The mojito, though, is the hot cousin in a broader cocktail family that includes daiquiris, mint juleps and the Southside Fizz, and by taking inspiration from its relatives, you can make an easy, refreshing, surprisingly sophisticated drink. My classic recipe, outlined below, is relatively quick to make, can be made in large batches, and is the perfect drink for a hot day. Once you’ve got it tweaked to your preferences, you can play around with new flavors, styles and expressions.

You could try getting rid of the rum altogether. Apple is a natural dancing partner for the warm, sweet flavor of rum and in the “nojito,” is a wonderful substitute. Make the classic recipe with fresh apple juice instead of rum, dial down the sugar syrup, and you have a mocktail better than many cocktails. If you like the apple but want the bite of booze, there’s no reason to leave it behind. Try swapping your soda for sparkling apple juice, 10ml of the sugar syrup for apple schnapps, and use a golden rum for a wonderful, smooth Apple Mojito.

A mojito is very close to a daiquiri and lends itself to a similarly wide range of fruity versions — the best being watermelon, mango, pineapple vanilla, and raspberry — but these sweet, dominant fruit flavors will totally overwhelm the mint, and it’s fair to say the end drink is pretty far from the original. For that reason, when making fruit versions, remove the mint from the mix and just use it as an aromatic garnish. The same is true for coconut mojitos, which you should make with Kōloa’s coconut rum and a dash of coconut syrup (don’t use coconut cream, it doesn’t work well).

If you like mint, though, and just want some more flavors to play with, the trick is to go for aromatic, light flavors that naturally pair well with it, like grapefruit.

For a grapefruit hint, use slices as a garnish. For a bit more, add fresh grapefruit juice instead of lime. For even more, use grapefruit-flavored soda water. Regardless of the grapefruit level, always use white rum; properly slapped, the mint will make its presence known.

Ginger is another flavor that works really well here. You can use slices of fresh ginger, muddled with the mint leaves, for a slightly spicier, richer version of a classic mojito, or you can go nuts and make the lovechild of a Ginger Julep and a mojito by muddling ginger and mint together, using dark rum (preferably Havana Club 7), 5ml of bourbon and 5ml less sugar syrup. Then use ginger ale instead of soda and float another 5ml of bourbon on top. It’s a punchy, aggressive drink.

Iced coffee mojito also works, oddly. Use a coffee-flavored rum — I go for Kōloa’s coffee rum, or Captain Morgan White infused at home with ground coffee beans. Replace the sugar syrup with just 5ml of Monin caramel syrup and add a full shot of fresh hot espresso. Finally, instead of soda, top up halfway with milk. Gently stir, and you can serve with a cream top by shaking cream and then gently laying mint on top. It’s odd and sweet and rich, but if you want a weird, luxurious, minty cocktail, it’s pretty good.

Another nice alternative is to take the basic formula of a mojito but treat it like a fancy gin and tonic, using different herbs and citrus for aromatics. Instead of classic lime and mint, use lemon juice and basil for an Italian flavor; or orange and thyme; or grapefruit and rosemary; or whatever herb and citrus pairing takes your fancy. Regardless of which you choose, use white rum, and be careful that your citrus of choice has enough bite and isn’t too sweet. Adjust accordingly by adding some lime or lemon juice, or by using less sugar syrup.

My favorite mojito alternative is an elevated version of the classic. Use a beautiful gold rum — like the oak-aged, single-pot Gold Rum from Rosemullion Distillery — drop down the sugar syrup to 7ml and add the same again of falernum. Falernum is a rum-based lime, almond and spice syrup, and though you can find it in many tiki drinks, it adds a beautiful, warm sophisticated quality here. If you don’t have falernum in your home bar, John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum is the standard, and widely believed to be the original.

Shake these and your lime juice, gently double-strain into a highball with mint and a single slice of ginger muddled at the bottom and garnish the rim with a lime twist. Top up with soda water — or a light Cava — and float 5ml of a whisky (I go for Nikka Coffee Grain). It’s decadent, spicy and boozy as hell; what’s not to love?

Recipe

Classic Mojito

2 parts (50ml) rum. Traditionally the choice is a Caribbean white rum (the best standard version being Havana Club 3), but you can go to other regions, and I’m partial to the white rum from Hawaii’s Kōloa. A classic mojito should stay away from spiced or dark rums, but if you like a warm, caramel note, a golden rum is your friend. The best inexpensive Caribbean option is Havana Club Especial, but if you’re using a truly A-tier rum, drop the lime juice and sugar syrup slightly; you want it to shine.

¾ part (20ml) of 1:1 simple syrup. I prefer to use demerara brown sugar for a more caramel, treacly quality, particularly if you’re using a golden rum. Drop quantities if it’s too sweet for your taste.

¾ part (20ml) of fresh lime juice.

Use between ten and twelve mint leaves. Give them a hard clap or slap before use; this opens up the flavors and oil of the mint.

Add your mint leaves to the base of a highball glass and gently muddle into the bottom before topping up with ice cubes. Take the rest of your ingredients — plus ice — and shake the life out of them for ten seconds in a Boston shaker, then double strain into your glass. Top up with soda water and gently stir with a bar spoon. Garnish with a sprig of mint — remember to slap it! — and a lime wheel, preferably run along the edge of the glass.

And, as I always recommend, use ice cubes rather than crushed ice. Crushed ice gives a fun texture, but quickly waters down your drink, and doesn’t keep it as cool for long.

This article was originally published in The Spectator’s October 2024 World edition.