Professional photograph of a Mojito cocktail with garnish in elegant bar setting

Cocktail

Mojito

Le Mojito est un cocktail rafraîchissant d'origine cubaine, préparé à base de rhum blanc, de menthe fraîche, de sucre, de citron vert et d'eau gazeuse. Sa combinaison d'ingrédients crée une boisson légère et pétillante, idéale pour se désaltérer lors des journées ensoleillées. Ce classique est apprécié pour son équilibre parfait entre douceur et acidité.

  • mentholé
  • acidulé
  • sucré
  • frais
Leo
By LeoHome Bar SpecialistPublished Reviewed
Prep Time
3 min
Glass
Highball glass
Difficulty
Easy
ABV
11%
Yields
1 serving
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Le Mojito est un cocktail dominé par le rum, à préparer en 3 minutes. Le résultat : des saveurs mentholé and acidulé qui valent chaque instant de préparation. Régulièrement en tête des recherches pour "été".

Key Takeaways

What you’ll learn

  • Gently muddle mint leaves — only 3–4 presses — to release aromatic oils without breaking cell walls and releasing bitter chlorophyll.
  • Use white rum, fresh lime juice, and real cane sugar or simple syrup for authentic Cuban flavor.
  • Build directly in the glass for proper dilution and layered presentation; add soda water last and stir only once.
  • Quality ingredients make the difference — fresh lime juice and fresh mint are non-negotiable for a proper mojito.
  • Master the classic before experimenting with fruity variations like strawberry, pineapple, or coconut.

Ingredients

Serves
1 serving
Glass
Highball glass
Prep
3 min
  • 2-3 ozLight rum
  • Juice of 1Lime
  • 2 tspSugar
  • 2-4Mint
  • Soda water

Method

Preparation

  1. 01

    Écrasez les feuilles de menthe avec du sucre et du jus de citron vert. Ajoutez un peu d'eau gazeuse et remplissez le verre de glace concassée. Versez le rhum et complétez avec de l'eau gazeuse. Garnissez et servez avec une paille.

Origin

History & Origins

The mojito is more than just a cocktail — it is a liquid postcard from 1950s Havana. This Cuban classic, beloved by Ernest Hemingway and beachgoers worldwide, perfectly balances fresh mint, tangy lime, and smooth white rum with just the right amount of fizz. Its roots stretch back centuries into Cuban drinking culture, with some historians tracing a proto-mojito to a medicinal drink called "El Draque," named after English privateer Sir Francis Drake, who reportedly mixed aguardiente with mint, lime, and sugar during his 16th-century Caribbean voyages.

The modern mojito as we know it crystallized in 1930s Havana, where it became the signature drink of La Bodeguita del Medio, a small bar on a narrow Havana street that opened in 1942. Ernest Hemingway, who lived in Cuba for much of the 1940s and 1950s, became the mojito's most famous ambassador. According to bar legend, he scrawled on the wall of La Bodeguita: "My mojito in La Bodeguita, my daiquiri in El Floridita" — though historians debate whether he wrote those exact words. What is certain is that Hemingway preferred his mojitos with minimal sugar and extra rum, a variation that some call the "Papa Doble" approach.

According to bar legend, he scrawled on the wall of La Bodeguita: "My mojito in La Bodeguita, my daiquiri in El Floridita" — though historians debate whether he wrote those exact words.

For much of the 20th century, the mojito remained largely a Cuban and Caribbean drink. Its global spread accelerated dramatically in the 1990s and 2000s, helped in part by tourism to Cuba and the growing craft cocktail movement that valued fresh ingredients and classic technique. Today it ranks among the world's most ordered cocktails, a testament to how a handful of simple ingredients — white rum, lime, mint, sugar, and soda — can create something universally refreshing and endlessly satisfying.

Bartender’s Insight

Pro Tips

Écrasez délicatement la menthe pour libérer les huiles sans meurtrir les feuilles

From Leo

  • Utilisez du rhum blanc pour le meilleur goût

  • Le jus de citron vert frais est essentiel

  • Complétez avec de la soude, ne servez jamais secoué

At the Table

Perfect Pairings

Poulet jerk grillé
Ceviche de poisson frais
Fruits tropicaux
Épices caribéennes
Légers apéritifs

Beyond the Classic

Variations

Virgin Mojito

Version sans alcool parfaite pour tous les âges

Strawberry Mojito

Ajoute des fraises fraîches pour les notes fruitées

Pineapple Mojito

Incorpore le jus d'ananas pour la douceur tropicale

Watch

See it in action

Questions

Frequently Asked

Mojito Recipe — Authentic Rum Cocktail | Hero Cocktails | Hero Cocktails