15 Things You Should Know About the Classic Mojito

Alcoholic beverages have been an exciting part of worldwide culture since the early 1800s. Alcohol itself has been the highlight of millions of dinners and parties for centuries. The truth of the matter is that plain alcohol never tends to taste good on its own. That's why cocktails have become so highly revered among the masses. Figuring out the perfect flavors, sodas, juices, and garnishes to add to alcohol makes it much easier to drink your chosen alcoholic beverages.

The main people who are considered experts in concocting cocktails usually work as bartenders inside restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and lounges. Bartenders are professionally trained in preparing beloved drinks for people to order when they're out on the town. Bartenders know how to make traditional and classic drinks since it's crucial to keep their clientele happy. One of the most classy and timeless drinks happens to be the Mojito. Along with managing inventory, restocking ice, and keeping bar areas pristine, bartenders are aware of what's required when making Mojitos for thirsty guests.

2.3 billion people are estimated to be current liquor consumers when it comes to alcoholic drinkers around the globe. In the Western Pacific, Europe, and the Americas, more than half of the population has sipped on an alcoholic beverage at least once in their lifetime. While it's true that alcohol has a terrible reputation for being unhealthy and dangerous, its rep hasn't taken away from the high demand. Classic Mojitos are a large part of this intriguing conversation. On the topic of alcohol, click here to uncover the best low-calorie alcoholic drinks you can order.

To gather this list of 15 facts you should know about the classic Mojito, 24/7 Tempo consulted several food-centered sources. These include Twisted Food, The Recipe Critic, Taste Cocktails, Sustainable Cooks, and European Bartender School.

What exactly can you expect in a Mojito when you order one from a bartender? The recipe is simple since it's made with six basic ingredients. Mojitos are flavor-filled and jam-packed with white rum, fresh lime juice, agave (or another sweetener of your choice), sparkling water, mint leaves, and lime wedges for garnishing.

This tried and true recipe has been satisfying cocktail drinkers for years. Keep in mind that it's acceptable to order your Mojito with tequila instead of rum as well. Some people also choose to leave out the sweetener and garnishes.

Since the true inventor of the Mojito is somewhat of a mystery, it's unclear who the actual brains behind the operation was in creating such a delectable drink. Legend states that a privateer and English explorer named Sir Francis Drake was the person who came up with the brilliant recipe sometime in the 16th century. Drake embarked on his historical expedition from 1577 to 1580 before dying in panama in 1596.

Havana, Cuba happens to be the birthplace of the Mojito. The exact coordinates of where the first Mojito was mixed is debatable for now, but historians can agree that Cuba was indeed its origin location. Havana is the capital of Cuba, where 2.13 million people currently live today.

Havana was recently used as inspiration for a hit pop song by Camila Cabello about her love for summertime travel. The lovely city was established in 1519 and currently exist as a wonderful place for tourists to visit if they're interested in uncovering a little bit of history.

It's fairly common for people to compare cocktails based on what they offer before ordering drinks off of menus. Knowing which drinks have more alcohol than others makes a huge difference before coming to a final decision. In the comparison of Mojitos versus Margaritas, Mojitos offer much less alcohol than Margaritas. To be more specific, Margaritas have a 33% alcohol by volume measurement while Mojitos only have 13%

If you thought you were being health-conscious by ordering a Mojito from the bar, you're actually quite wrong about that. Mojitos have a reputation for being super unhealthy. That's because any drink with alcohol isn't great for your internal organs. To make matters worse, Mojitos have high sugar content levels. Since sugar causes liver issues, acne, inflammation, diabetes, anxiety, bloating, cancer, and more, it's obvious sugary drinks like Mojitos should be consumed in moderation

There are a handful of theories behind the origin of the name for Mojitos. One theory states that the name comes from a Cuban seasoning that's used to make dishes more flavorful and enticing. The Cuban seasoning is called mojo and tastes just like lime. Since lime garnishes are incorporated in Mojitos, this name theory makes a lot of sense. Cocktails tend to gain traction based on their flavor, so what better way to settle on a memorable name?

There seems to be a holiday for just about everything in this day and age. There's even a holiday set aside to celebrate Mojitos. Every year on July 11th, Americans honor the creation of Mojitos for National Mojito Day. While it's true that Americans can order any cocktail from any menu on that day, it's common for US citizens to order Mojitos on July 11th as a way of partaking in the annual festivities. Bars, lounges, nightclubs, and restaurants often offer Mojito discounts for the holiday as well.

Some drinks are easier for bartenders to make than others. Mojitos happen to be one of the drinks that annoys bartenders more often than not. You'll potentially end up on your bartender's bad side if you order a Mojito because this cocktail is a time-consuming drink to make. It takes a few minutes to muddle mint leaves together, which can slow a bartender down on a busy night. Bartenders get annoyed when crafting Long Island Iced Teas, Bloody Marys, and Irish Car Bombs – but Mojitos are the most inconvenient.

Pricing for cocktails will always vary based on where you are. If you're spending time at an upscale bar or lounge, the menu items are going to be far more expensive. If you're hanging out at a low-key dive bar or eatery, it's possible the drink menu will be much cheaper. On average, you can expect your Mojito to cost anywhere between $6 and $14. When you add a 20% tip, you're looking at a total cost of $7.20 to $16.80.

You can order your Mojito to go along with any meal, but there are certain foods that taste best with this particular cocktail. Salads, seafood, and grilled veggies are just a few examples of foods that will wash down well with a delicious Mojito. That's because the mint of a Mojito complements the acidity of seafood and the greenery of salads or vegetables. Clams, oysters, cockles, and mussels are just a few examples of seafood options to ask for with your Mojito.

People are welcome to order Mojitos anytime throughout the year, but this drink is still considered a summertime refreshment. During the winter, it's common for people to order cocktails with peppermint candy cane flavors, hot chocolate flavors, eggnog flavors, ginger snap flavors, and more. During the fall, you're likely to come across people ordering drinks with pumpkin flavors, cider flavors, cranberry flavors, and the like. During the summer, Mojitos finally have their time to shine.

As far as historical figures go, Ernest Hemingway was a true pioneer in the literary world. The American novelist wrote a slew of impressive manuscripts throughout the course of his writing career. Before he died, it was widely believed that Hemingway enjoyed sipping on Mojitos. When he wasn't busy penning novels like "The Old Man and the Sea" or "For Whom the Bell Tolls," was he actually busy enjoying Mojitos? As of now, this widespread myth has been debunked.

If you're debating between ordering a Mojito or a Piña Colada, your decision is about to get a little more challenging. They have matching alcohol by volume measurements, which means neither of these drinks will get you drunker than the other. Deciding between a Mojito or a Piña Colada will come down to deciphering which drink offers a flavor you prefer. Mojitos and Piña Coladas both have alcohol by volume measurements of 13%.

You can expect the same delicious flavor of a classic Mojito when ordering a virgin Mojito. Plenty of people in society are opting out of alcohol consumption these days for a multitude of reasons. Sobriety is appealing to folks who would rather avoid hangovers, addiction, and other health problems.

You won't feel like you're missing out when ordering a virgin Mojito since it's just as refreshing and aesthetically pleasing. A virgin Mojito is made with fresh lime juice, agave (or another sweetener of your choice), mint leaves, sparkling water, and wedged limes for garnishing. The white rum or tequila simply isn't added.

Mojitos have been mentioned in a handful of movies and TV shows over the years. Producers understand that mentioning cocktails that are beloved in the real world helps fictional characters come across as more relatable. Some of the most popular projects have mentioned in Mojitos include "Die Another Day," "Miami Vice," and "Transformers: The Last Knight."

Most recently in 2023, Mojitos were mentioned in "Fast X" starring Vin Diesel. The movie grossed $714.6 million at the box office, which means millions of people watched the onscreen enjoyment of a Mojito. We've always known that Mojitos are a popular cocktail to order from various bars in different places. (Click here to find out more about the countries where people drink the most alcohol – including Mojitos.)