A classic mint mojito with white rum, fresh lime, and muddled mint leaves. Get the recipe for the ultimate refreshing summer cocktail.
Why You Will Love This
The mojito is summer in a glass. Cool mint leaves bruised just enough to release their oils. Sharp lime juice cutting through sweet cane sugar. White rum that tastes like sunshine and coastal breezes. This is the drink you make when the heat lingers past sunset and you need something that actually refreshes.
The Story Behind It
The mojito belongs to Havana, where it was born in the 1500s as a medicinal tonic before evolving into Cuba’s most beloved cocktail. Mint grew wild and plentiful. Lime trees dotted the courtyards. Sugar cane was everywhere. The drink made itself, really. What started as pirate medicine became the signature serve of La Bodeguita del Medio, where Hemingway scrawled his famous endorsement on the wall. Now it’s yours to make at home, with fresh herbs and a little care.
What You Will Need
- 10-12 fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
- 1 oz (30 ml) fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 2 teaspoons raw cane sugar or simple syrup
- 2 oz (60 ml) white rum
- Club soda, to top
- Crushed ice
- Lime wheel for garnish
How to Make It
Place mint leaves and sugar in a tall glass. Use a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon to gently press the mint into the sugar. You want to bruise the leaves, not pulverize them. Three or four gentle presses is enough.
Add lime juice and stir to dissolve the sugar completely. Let this mixture sit for 30 seconds so the mint can infuse.
Fill the glass two-thirds full with crushed ice. Pour the rum over the ice.
Stir gently with a bar spoon or long spoon, bringing the mint and lime up from the bottom. Add more crushed ice to fill the glass.
Top with 2-3 oz of club soda. Give it one final gentle stir.
Garnish with a fresh mint sprig (slap it between your palms first to wake up the oils) and a lime wheel. Serve immediately with a straw.
Herbalist Notes
Mint (Mentha species) is more than a flavor agent. It’s a digestive aid and a natural coolant that actually lowers your perceived body temperature. The menthol compounds stimulate cold-sensitive receptors in your mouth, creating that refreshing chill even before the ice kicks in. Spearmint is traditional for mojitos, but peppermint works if you want a sharper, more medicinal edge. Always use fresh mint. Dried loses the volatile oils that make this drink sing.
Lime provides vitamin C and helps with mineral absorption. In traditional Cuban medicine, lime juice was considered a blood cleanser and digestive tonic. The acidity also balances the rum’s sweetness and brightens the mint’s green flavor.
Raw cane sugar retains trace minerals that white sugar loses in processing. It dissolves beautifully and adds a subtle molasses note that complements the rum.
Make It Your Own
Swap the white rum for aged rum if you want deeper caramel notes. Try raw honey instead of sugar for a floral sweetness. Add a few basil leaves alongside the mint for an herbal twist, or muddle in fresh berries (strawberries and blackberries both work beautifully). For a lower-alcohol version, cut the rum to 1 oz and increase the club soda. On particularly hot nights, freeze lime juice into ice cubes so your drink stays strong as it melts.
