A mojito is one of the most well-known cocktails around the world. Used as a classic summer drink, you can expect this sweet and sour taste in the hands of millions when the sun starts to shine.
Unlike some of the more flashy drinks currently making the rounds in fashion, the mojito sticks to a classic and simplistic ingredients list.
If you want to create this drink for yourself or your friends, it won’t take you long to learn the recipe, and it won’t cost you much either.
Today, we are going to explain the history of a mojito, the best rum for the cocktail, and how to make this delicious drink.
What Is A Mojito?
The mojito is a Cuban cocktail and fits into the category of highball. A highball is an alcoholic drink based on spirits but mainly contains non-alcoholic mixers.
In the mojito’s case, their base spirit is white rum, and the main non-alcoholic mixer is soda water.
Although the soda water takes up most of the mojito’s glass, the more iconic feature of this cocktail is the lime juice and mint.
These refreshing flavors are why the mojito is considered a summer favorite. To really get the flavors out, you should mash the mint in your mojito and lime using a muddler. But you can add in lime and mint as a garnish if you want the glass to look pretty.
The mojito is the most famous rum-based highball, and it isn’t hard to see why. It’s also got plenty of fun variations – check out our strawberry basil mojito for a tasty example!
Quick List
If you’re in a rush and don’t have the time to read through our Buyer’s Guide or reviews, then check out this quick list of fantastic rum choices for a mojito.
- Clearest Mojito Rum – Flor De Caña
- Best Sour Mojito Rum – Havana Club
- Best Citrus Mojito Rum – Probitas
- Best Winter Mojito Rum – The Real McCoy
- Best Budget Mojito Rum – Bacardi
Choosing the right rum will affect your mojito’s taste, so be sure to use the right combinations for your desired flavor.
Buyer’s Guide
You don’t have to think too hard about which rum to pick when you make a mojito. Just keep these four points in mind, and you’ll be able to create the perfect summertime cocktail.
White Rum
Straight off the bat, you need to pick a white rum.
Dark rums usually have an oaky taste, leading to a heavy flavor. They can end up much sweeter than a white rum, but the woodland flavors don’t mix well with our summertime aesthetic.
White rums are light, sweet, and are clear from complex flavors. This means they are great for cocktails, cooking, and any other type of mixing.
White rums get their light flavor through their short aging time and their stainless steel barrels. Dark rums age for longer and are stored in a charred oak barrel.
The difference in storage is what gives the rum its color. If you haven’t got time to look for more information, you will be safe with a clear white rum.
Sweetness
Mojitos are a slightly sweet cocktail, but if you have a sweet tooth, you can emphasize the drink’s sugary nature with an even sweeter rum.
This could mean going darker, but you’ll end up with a more oaky flavor overall, or you can look out for rums that have been infused with fruits.
If you don’t want your mojito to lose sight of the sourness produced in the lime, then you should keep away from infused rums. Instead, look for a pure alternative.
Sourness
The classic taste in a mojito is its limey sourness. This refreshing hint of sharp and light flavors is what makes this drink a summertime favorite.
Some people like to enhance this sour treat by adding pineapple chunks or slices of grapefruit into the glass. You can do the same thing with a sour-infused white rum.
However, this additional sourness could prove too acidic for some. To balance out the flavor, you may need to add more sugar to the overall recipe.
A good mojito can balance the sweetness and sourness of the ingredients, and the perfect rum can harness the two flavors and allow them to mingle in a pleasant and smooth dance.
Mixing Flavors
Some people like to mix the mojito with additional flavors like spices from pepper or depth from ginger & coffee. These additions remove the cocktail from their mojito name but can make the drink more appropriate for the winter seasons.
Ideally, if you want to add more flavor to your mojito, you should pick a citrus-infused rum to keep the sour flavors while adding in additional levels.
Pure Rum
The perfect mojito base would simply be a pure white rum. The lime and mint will create a delicate and refreshing flavor without adding additional infusions. If you don’t want to move too far away from the original flavors, keep your rum pure and simple to replicate this classic cocktail.
5 Best Rums for Mojitos
The mojito has been around for so long that many of us have developed our own love for the drink. Some might enjoy the sourness from the limes; others might enjoy a lighter, fruitier flavor.
No matter which way you sway, we have the perfect choice for you.
1. Clearest Mojito Rum – Flor De Caña
If you are creating a simple and classic mojito, then go no further than the Flor De Caña. This white rum has been naturally aged without any artificial ingredients, leaving you with a clean and smooth taste.
The lack of additional ingredients gives you a refreshing taste which is perfect for light cocktails or cocktails that get their flavors from other components.
Mojitos are a mixture of clear and refreshing textures with a lime and mint flavor. These flavors can be easily overpowered with the wrong rum, so using the Flor De Caña will stop any unexpected mixtures.
If you were to drink the Flor De Caña straight, you’d experience a light-bodied rum with a lingering smooth finish that clears your palate.
Many people enjoy the water-like texture of this rum as it adds to the light feeling of a mojito.
Pros
- Clean Rum
- White Rum
- Smooth Finish
- Refreshing
- Neutral
Cons
- Expensive
2. Best Sour Mojito Rum – Havana Club
If you believe the best part of a Mojito is its sour flavor created through the lime, then the Havana Club white rum would be the perfect base for you.
This medium-bodied Puerto Rican rum (see also: Best Puerto Rican Rums)has strong notes of pineapple, which adds to the sour flavor of a mojito.
Along with the pineapple, you can find traces of banana and vanilla, which balanced out the sour flavor, reducing the bitterness.
The Havana Club is the perfect sour base as it allows you to have an additional boost of acidity without overpowering the extra ingredients. The banana and vanilla flavor keeps the overall combination balanced while enabling you to have delicious sharpness.
The well-rounded body ends in a clean flavor, keeping to the ideal sharpness of a white rum in a mojito.
Pros
- Additional Pineapple Sourness
- White Rum
- Smooth Finish
- Refreshing
- Banana And Vanilla Balancers
Cons
- Additional Flavors Might Be Too Floral For Some
- Not A Neutral Spirit
3. Best Citrus Mojito Rum – Probitas
If your love for the mojito comes from the subtle citrus elements, and you want to expand these delicate flavors, then the Probitas is the best rum for you.
The creamy texture has a light element of tropical tastes which adds color to this elegant drink. The tropical flavors highlight more of the cocktail’s summer vibes, while the sweetness of the banana and vanilla backdrops ground the beverage in a beautiful balance.
A citrus mojito is like summer in a glass, and the clarity that comes with the Probitas gives you a light experience.
Pros
- Additional Tropical Flavors
- White Rum
- Refreshing
- Banana And Vanilla Balancers
- Smooth Texture
Cons
- Not A Neutral Spirit
4. Best Winter Mojito Rum – The Real McCoy
A winter mojito might strike you as odd, but sometimes a deeper version of a summer drink can bridge the gap between seasons.
The Real McCoy is a smooth white rum. A subtle spice brings warmth to the drink, while the wood note adds depth. These descriptors aren’t often heard when describing a mojito, but the toasted caramel sweetness connects to the sugar of the cocktail, creating a connection between the light flavors and the darker base.
As you drink this smooth and soft rum, you’ll notice a gentle lightness in the bright citrus flavors, which keeps the classic mojito flavors at its forefront. With undertones of oak peeping through, you’ll have the urge to snuggle up in a blanket and explore a wintery haze.
Pros
- Warm Flavor Combinations
- Bright Citrus Flavors
- White Rum
- Refreshing
- Smooth Texture
Cons
- Not A Neutral Spirit
- Too Spicy For Some People’s Taste
5. Best Budget Mojito Rum – Bacardi
Bacardi is the most commonly known white rum, and although this brand can be found in most people’s homes, that doesn’t dilute its wonderful flavor.
Bacardi is the closest rum on this list (not including the Flor De Caña) to being completely neutral. That clarity is what makes it a fantastic rum for a mojito. However, vanilla’s subtle flavor gives it a light lift, while the charcoal undertones ground the rum produces a deep, almost wintery atmosphere.
Remember that white rum flavors are not overpowering like they are in gin or vodka. Instead, you can expect just a dashing of intrigue with each of the rums on our list.
Bacardi is often used in a mojito, as its delicate flavors work well with the sourness of the limes and the lightness of the mints.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to create a good cocktail.
Pros
- Bright Sweet Flavors
- Warm Flavor
- White Rum
- Refreshing
- Delicate Flavors
- Affordable
Cons
- Not A Completely Neutral Spirit
How To Make A Mojito
Making this classic cocktail is easy. Just follow this simple recipe and serve it to all of your friends!
The recipe below is to make one mojito.
Ingredients
- Fresh Mint Leaves – 10
- Lime – Halved, cut into 4 wedges
- White Sugar – 2 Tablespoons
- Ice Cubes – 1 Cup
- White Rum (we suggest Flor De Caña) – 3 Tablespoons
- Soda Water – ½ Cup
Method
- Put the mint leaves and 1 lime wedge into a tall and sturdy glass.
- Using a muddler, crush the lime and the mint to create a juice.
- Add in 2 more lime wedges and the sugar.
- Muddle again.
- Fill the glass with ice.
- Pour the rum over the ice.
- Fill the glass with soda water.
- Stir until the rum and juice are evenly distributed.
- Taste, and add more sugar if needed.
- Garnish with the remaining lime wedge
- Serve and enjoy!
Throughout this method, you shouldn’t remove or strain your mixture as the crushed lime and mint add to the growing flavor of your beverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Captain Morgan Rum Good For Mojitos?
Captain Morgan dark rum wouldn’t work with a Mojito, but their white collection could be used. Be warned, though, as Captain Morgan is an insanely sweet spirit.
You may want to avoid adding more sugar into your cocktail and let the rum add the sweetness for you. Or you can add more lime to balance out the sweetness.
Either way, be aware of how the additional sugar will off-balance the mojito recipe.
Is Bacardi Superior Good For Mojitos?
Of all of the Bacardi collections, the Superior is the best choice for a mojito. The light and delicate rum blend well with the freshness of mint and the sourness of lime.
That’s the reason why we added it to our top 5 above. The price is also reasonable, which is why many clubs use Bacardi Superior for their cocktails.
What Is The Best Spiced Rum?
The Boukman Botanical Rhum is a fantastic spicy rum. It is infused with bark and wood to create a deep oaky flavor but also sprinkled with a pantry of baking spices. Their secret ingredient is bitter oranges.
These bitter oranges allow the spices to bloom, growing in flavor while still being grounded by the bark.
It is the layers in this rum that make it so great.
What Is The Smoothest White Rum?
The smoothest white rum is The Real McCoy. White rum isn’t aged for as long as dark rum, however, the three years this beverage is distilled for is enough to anchor a charcoal flavor without deepening the taste too much.
To make the rum lighter, citrus and caramel brighten and crisp the drink, while the banana and coconut flavors connect it back to the smooth charcoal base.
The combination creates a delightful journey of flavor while keeping the overall drink smooth.
Are Mojitos A Strong Drink?
No, mojitos are not particularly strong. In total, you should only have 3 tablespoons of rum in your tall glass, and the soda water should dilute the alcoholic nature of the cocktail. As the event goes on and you sip your drink, the ice will melt, making it less and less alcoholic.
This means that if you drink your cocktail quickly, then your beverage will be stronger. But if you sip it and enjoy the flavors, the ice will keep your drink topped up and also keep you hydrated.
What Is The Most Popular Rum In The World?
As of 2020, the most popular rum in the world was the Tanduay. In 2019 they sold 20.5 million cases, while in 2020, they grew that number to 23.9 million.
This brand is massively expanding as it moves away from its origins in the Philippines and bridging continents the world over. Soon western countries like the US and UK will find this rum more readily available in their local stores.
As Tanduay has both high quality and affordable bottles for people to choose from, and the culture of rum drinkers is expanding, there is a growing demand for this delicious beverage.
Where Did Mojitos Originate?
Mojitos originated in Havana, Cuba. The exact area is still debated to this day, but across our historical collections, experts have found evidence of remedies for tropical illnesses which use the famous cocktail.
Lime was a fantastic remedy for scurvy and dysentery, while mints help disguise the sharp taste of early spirits. Mixing the two together created a drinkable treatment for those on the seas.
There are several theories for the origin of this cocktail’s name, but the strongest one follows two languages. The first is the Cuban word “mojo,” which is a lime seasoning, and the second is “mojadito,” which is Spanish for “ a little wet.” As words change and form over the years, this “little wet lime” name could have been born.
Summary
Now you know what makes a mojito rum important and which one would be perfect for your tastes. Ideally, you should use a clear and neutral rum, but if you want some of the more delicate flavors to jump out, then pair your white rum with your tastes.
Whichever one you pick, be sure to make the rum white, as a dark rum will be too oaky for the delicate lime and mint tastes.
