6 Tips To Master The Perfect Mojito

Recipes for the Mojito appeared in early American cocktail books like Charles H. Baker, Jr.’s The Gentleman’s Companion from 1939 and in the 1941 book - Here's How, Mixed Drinks. Despite the Mojito’s initial popularity, by the 1960s it had nearly disappeared in the U.S., although it remained commonplace in Cuba. However, as trends come and go, the Mojito slowly returned to Miami and the rest of the country in the 1990s, mainly due to the Nuevo Latino dining trend.

The Mojito is still one of the most popular cocktails around and here are 6 tips for creating the perfect version: 

Tip 1

Think about the sugar. Base the sugar on the type of rum you use. Different sugars help the rum to express itself in different ways. The easiest approach is brown sugar for aged rum and caster sugar for white rum. 

Tip 2

Mint must be fresh. Also, the type of mint can vary greatly depending on where you are in the world. “Hierba Buena” (a term used in some Spanish-speaking regions to refer to mint) is the safest option for mint but if you feel adventurous then play with some other types. 

Tip 3

Lime also has to be fresh. Make sure the lime isn’t too tart. I’ve found it difficult to work with some types of limes in Asia due to their level of acidity. The acidity level can make it difficult to balance the flavours. 

Tip 4

Think about the rum you use. I prefer aged rum; nevertheless, I’ve tasted some great recipes with white rum. Normally, aged rums add some complexity to the cocktail but if you’re looking for a simple, refreshing Mojito then white rum is the better option. 

Tip 5

You can use either soda or sparkling water. My preference is sparkling water as I find that the naturally occurring minerals in it give the cocktail a subtle flavour unlike the soda water.

Tip 6

Don't over complicate it.