22 February 2021

There is a lot to say about the Mojito. One thing should be stated right away: the drink’s origin story is full of myths and assumptions, but reliable facts are scarce. That is partly because its roots likely reach back into the 16th century—and partly because it wasn’t “invented” in a single moment by one bartender. What we can say with confidence is this: the Mojito, as it is named and mixed today, emerged in Cuba.

One story you inevitably encounter when tracing the Mojito’s history is that of the pirate Sir Francis Drake (c. 1540–1596).¹ From 1570 onward, with the approval of Queen Elizabeth I, Drake undertook numerous privateering voyages in the Caribbean. To the Spaniards—England’s rival naval power at the time—he was known as “El Draque.” According to the legend, Drake and his crew fought outbreaks of illness with a drink made from limes, mint, sugar, and sugarcane spirits. Supposedly, it was named after its alleged inventor: El Draque.

Mint was known among the indigenous population (with whom Drake is said to have collaborated at times) as a remedy for stomach ailments, and citrus was widely used by sailors against scurvy. Sugar likely made the “medicine” more palatable, and alcohol may have helped with preservation. Cuban farmers and enslaved people were also familiar with similar mixtures. With expanding sugarcane plantations, wild-growing mint, and the spread of rum production, all ingredients were readily available in the years that followed.

The Julep as a missing piece

To get closer to the Mojito’s formation, we should mention another drink: the Julep.² ³ Derived from the Persian Gul-ab (rose water), the term “julep” already appears in cookbooks and medical texts of the 16th century. At that time, it referred to an ingredient used to make medicines more pleasant. In the early 19th century in the United States, “julep” became the name for a mixture of alcohol, mint, and sugar. Originally often consumed with rum, the julep eventually became popular with whiskey as its base. Until the 1940s and 1950s, juleps with various spirits—not only in the U.S.—were a widely known and popular drink family.

Prohibition & Cuba

During Prohibition in the United States (1920–1933), Cuba experienced a true tourism boom. Because of its geographic proximity and the absence of comparable restrictions on alcohol and gambling, Americans flocked to Cuba to celebrate and drink. It seems plausible that many visitors asked for juleps. Using rum as the regional spirit and adding soda water could have contributed to a new drink taking shape: the Mojito.

First written mentions & the name “Mojito”

The first written mention of the recipe under the name “Mojito” appears in Cuba in 1930.⁴ The Club de Cantineros published an official bar manual and listed the Mojito under “Miscellaneous.” In the cocktail book by Juan A. Lasa⁵ one year earlier, the drink still appeared as “Mojo de Ron” (alternatively “Mojo de Ginebra” with gin). By 1930, it seems to have found its definitive name.

There are many attempts to explain where the name comes from. One of the most commonly repeated stories points to the West African word “mojo,” referring to a pouch with magical spices and charms. In English, “mojo” has survived as a synonym for magic or spell. A “mojito,” then, would be a Spanish diminutive: a little bit of magic. In Spanish, however, mojo also means a sauce or dressing (for example “mojo criollo” in Cuba). It’s possible the meaning shifted from “sauce” to “mix,” and the Mojito became a “small rum mix.” Another idea links it to the Spanish verb mojar (“to wet”), also used colloquially in the sense of “to drink up” or “to water/soak.”

Bars, legends & Hemingway

Many Cuban hotels, clubs, and bars claim to have invented the Mojito—among them the still-existing La Bodeguita del Medio.⁶ The venue, now unfortunately a tourist trap, is often associated with Ernest Hemingway as a supposed regular. The famous quote attributed to him—“My Mojito in La Bodeguita, my Daiquiri in El Floridita”—turns out to be a fake and clever marketing.⁷ ⁸ The authenticity of the displayed signature is disputed, and the quote is widely considered an invention of the tourism authorities.

Since La Bodeguita del Medio opened in 1942, it and its founder Ángel Martínez cannot be the Mojito’s birthplace. Erasmo Brito Lima, a Cuban bartender since 1954 and member of the Club de Cantineros (today: Asociación de Cantineros de Cuba), names an unknown colleague as the Mojito’s creator—someone who worked in 1910 in a bar at Playa de la Concha.⁹ From there, the recipe is said to have spread.

What remains credible?

After all these stories, what is truly reliable and plausible? As entertaining as pirate legends are, no source can be found for the most colorful versions. Fernando G. Campoamor,¹⁰ a Cuban journalist, author, and friend of Hemingway, is the first to tell the story of Drake and the “Draquecito.” In sources about Drake and his travels, there is only one remark that loosely resembles part of the Mojito narrative: during a voyage along the Strait of Magellan, Drake’s crew supposedly prepared a remedy against scurvy via infusion from tree bark.¹¹ We could not verify the use of mint.

In 1838, the Cuban author Rámon de Palma wrote in his story “El Cólera en Habana” about the beneficial effect of a “Draquecito.”¹² That at least provides evidence that a predecessor under that name existed.

The julep tradition in the early 19th century—as an alcoholic mint mixture—is well documented. By the time the Mojito appears by name a century later, the julep is already firmly embedded in bar culture. Written sources that list a “Bacardi Rum Julep” in 1915,¹³ a “Mojo de Ron” in 1929, and finally the “Mojito” in 1930 with an almost identical recipe suggest that the drink took its final form during the 1920s. Its roots likely lie in a regional drinking culture, supported by ingredient availability. Its definitive form was shaped by the booming hospitality scene in 1920s Cuba. Stories like those around La Bodeguita and its famous visitors ultimately cemented the Mojito’s cult status.

Preparation: our recommendation

We don’t want to end this article without a few notes on how we recommend preparing a Mojito. In recent years there has been plenty of debate about which sugar to use, and whether to use lime wedges or lime juice. Crushed ice vs. cubed ice has become almost a matter of belief. In our view, the “original” Mojito does not have to be the final word—what matters is a recipe that delivers the best result with today’s possibilities.

We recommend crushed ice. A Mojito is made “built in glass,” meaning all ingredients are stirred directly in the serving glass. Crushed ice helps with rapid chilling, and because soda water is part of the recipe, unwanted dilution is less of a concern. Lime wedges do not belong in a Mojito; their presence is more a side effect of the Caipirinha’s popularity. White cane sugar, common across the Caribbean and South America, is finer, dissolves more easily, and is our choice. We stir all ingredients first, then add the crushed ice—this creates a balanced sweet-and-sour mix before chilling, and it allows the mint aroma to develop more evenly.

Mojito (recipe)

5 cl Havana 3y
Juice of half a lime
1–2 bar spoons of white cane sugar
2–3 sprigs of fresh mint
10 cl soda water
Crushed ice

THE MOJITO AND ITS STORIES

The Julep as a missing piece

Prohibition & Cuba

First written mentions & the name “Mojito”

Bars, legends & Hemingway

What remains credible?

Preparation: our recommendation

Mojito (recipe)

Additional sources (general)

THE MOJITO AND ITS STORIES

The Julep as a missing piece

Prohibition & Cuba

First written mentions & the name “Mojito”

Bars, legends & Hemingway

What remains credible?

Preparation: our recommendation

Mojito (recipe)

Additional sources (general)

Footnotes