After a lengthy hiatus, from writing of course not cocktail making or drinking, it’s time to talk about one of my favorite libations and also one of the most under-rated cocktails in my opinion.

Now, when I think of a mojito, it makes me think of warm sticky nights in a tropical place, not the Midwest. But I had my first mojito in Ann Arbor at a Cuban restaurant, where they served their mojitos with a stalk of sugar cane and a bouquet of mint. It was hard not to fall in love with the drink while sipping the refreshingly smooth rum, munching on the sugar cane and laughing with my closest friends until our stomachs hurt.

So it was only fitting that the circle was completed this year, when I traveled to Cuba, with those same college friends, for a week to explore a country few have traveled to and drink the best damn mojitos of our lives.

From tiny back bars in tobacco country to Ernest Hemmingway’s favorite mojito bar in Havana, we made the rounds; enjoying every sip as it helped cool us down in the hot afternoons and warm evenings of the dry season on the most northern Caribbean island.

Our first stop, and first mojito, after we dropped our bags and headed out to explore was Lounge Bar in the town of Viñales.  On the main road of the small town smack dab in the middle of the tobacco region, there is a little bar, tucked behind a white washed store with an old blue car door begging you to see what’s out back.  The bar is all outside with lights and canvas strung up between the sides of the adjacent buildings with potted palms trees sneaking up in between. Adirondack chairs and high tables are scattered around the back patio with candles scattered on the tables. After a day of travel this is exactly what we were looking for.

Now, when in Cuba, the birthplace of Bacardi rum, the only drink we could order was a mojito.  But to our surprise the rum of Cuba, or el Ron de Cuba, was Havana Club, which replaced Bacardi after the revolution (I could go on and on about the history but I’ll spare you).  The care the bartenders took to make each mojito was meticulous. They selected the freshest mint leaves and juiciest lime wedges; carefully sprinkled white cane sugar in to each glass and deliberately muddled these together, careful not to tear the mint leaves. Next they poured the Havana Club rum over the muddled mint and lime, and slowly stirred these together with a long swivel spoon. Finally, they placed perfectly cubed ice cubes in to each glass with tongs, topped these with sparkling water and garnished each drink with a near perfect spring of mint.

I have to say, it’s one of the longest waits I’ve ever had for a drink as simple as a mojito, but it was well worth the wait. That’s one of the reasons why I love a mojito, it is so simple, but it rarely disappoints.  Each ingredient is necessary to create that unmistakable flavor, and when done with care it makes those 5 simple ingredients out of this world.

Our next mojito was at Horizontes Los Jazmines, the closest thing to a resort in the Viñales valley.  It is a pink, three story hotel, perched on the top of the valley wall that looks out west over the entire valley. The view is breath taking, and the sunset was unlike any I have ever seen. The mojito was strong, and definitely did not trump the one from Lounge Bar, but the view was unbeatable.

In Havana, we had to go to La Bodeguita del Medio, Hemmingways’s mojito spot. While totally touristy and only a so-so mojito, we made our mark on the autographed walls and checked that off our list!

Our last stop on our tour de mojitos, was a corner bar we stumbled upon while wandering down the streets of Old Havana, with no agenda other than enjoying the heat and looking for our next libation.  Chacon 162 is a small restaurant and bar on the northern side of Old Havana, with umbrellaed tables out along a foot traffic street. We sat down mid afternoon during the height of the heat for the day. What caught our eye as we were walking by we’re people with large mason jars of dark pink drinks, which we discovered were watermelon mojitos.  These are not like a watermelon you would find in the states. It wasn’t watermelon flavoring or juice, but actual chunks of watermelon, blended and then muddled with the rest of the mojito. You could even see the large black seeds floating through out the jar. After walking through the hot, narrow streets of Havana, few things could have tasted better than our watermelon mojitos.

Now, while I don’t have Havana Club rum, I do have fresh mint from the garden. When a cocktail focuses so heavily on the fresh ingredients for the flavor of the drink, freshness cannot be an after thought. Every ingredient in the Cuban mojitos we’re fresh, and the best ones were the ones with the freshest mint and limes.

Once you have your mint, making your own mojitos is a no brainer and takes only a few minutes.

Mojito | makes 1 drink 

• 2 oz white rum
• 2 lime wedges
• 2-4 mint leaves
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• Seltzer water

In a Collins glass add the sugar, lime wedges and mint.  Gently muddle, just enough to release the oils from the mint and juice from the limes but not enough to break the leaves.  (If you don’t have a muddler or are in a pinch, use the end of a wooden spoon!)  Add your rum and gently stir so the sugar begins to dissolve.   Next fill the glass with ice and top off with seltzer water. Give everything one last stir, but not enough to bring the mint leaves to the top of the glass. The ice will act as a strainer, to keep the mint and mint at the bottom of your glass, so you don’t get a mint leaf mid-sip. Finally, garnish with a fresh sprig of mint and serve!