Mojito
Ingredients:
Method:
1. Place the mint in a highball glass, then add the sugar and lime juice. 2. Gently muddle the mint to release its aroma. 3. Add a splash of soda water and fill the glass with ice. 4. Add the rum, top with soda water, and stir gently with a bar spoon. 5. Garnish with a mint sprig and a lime wedge.
Description:
The Mojito is a Cuban classic and an official International Bartenders Association cocktail in the Contemporary Classics category. It is a refreshing highball in which soft rum, bright lime acidity, mint aroma, and soda water come together as one light composition. Havana is usually named as the cocktail's birthplace, but the exact origin of the Mojito is still debated. It is best understood not as a drink with one undisputed legend, but as a cocktail that grew out of Cuba's culture of rum, citrus, and mint. The Mojito is about freshness rather than strength: it should be cool, citrusy, herbal, and light enough that the mint does not overpower the rum. The key technique is gentle handling of the mint. It should be opened up, not crushed into a paste; that keeps the drink clean and aromatic without grassy bitterness.