Mojito recipe – A Bulletproof Spec

The Mojito is often treated as a simple summer drink. Its history is not simple.

One of the earliest stories traces its origins back to 16th century Cuba. In 1586, English privateer Sir Francis Drake landed in Havana. According to popular legend, his crew drank a mixture of aguardiente de caña, lime, sugar and mint known as “El Draque.” Some claim it was consumed for medicinal reasons, particularly to prevent scurvy.

There is no solid documentation proving Drake invented the drink. But what is documented is that aguardiente, lime and sugar were commonly consumed in the Caribbean during that period.

The real turning point came in the 19th century.

In 1862, Facundo Bacardí Massó founded Bacardi in Santiago de Cuba. He refined rum distillation and charcoal filtration, producing a cleaner and lighter style of rum than the rough aguardiente previously available. This technical shift changed Cuban drinking culture. Cocktails became smoother. More refined. More balanced.

The Mojito as we recognise it today could not exist without that evolution in rum production.

By the early 1900s, the drink had become part of Havana’s bar scene. La Bodeguita del Medio is often credited with popularising the modern version, although like many cocktail stories, the exact origin is debated.

Its global breakthrough came during American Prohibition from 1920 to 1933. Cuba became a drinking destination for Americans escaping alcohol bans at home. The Mojito travelled back across the Florida Strait with returning tourists.

Ernest Hemingway is frequently associated with the drink. Whether he truly favoured Mojitos over Daiquiris is disputed, but his presence in Havana helped cement the cocktail’s international reputation.

What is certain is this:

The Mojito evolved alongside Cuban rum itself. As rum became cleaner and more refined, so did the drink.