The Mojito is another arcane potion, with its origins lost in time.

One of my favorite stories about this drink involves the English explorer Sir Francis Drake and his crew. While they were sailing towards Havana, the crew was struck by scurvy and dysentery. Assuming that locals might have a remedy for their illness, they assembled a small party and landed on the Cuban shore in search for an antidote. They came back with aguardiente de caña—a rum-style moonshine—lime, sugarcane juice, and mint. Citrus juice alone might have helped cure their illness, but this combo yields a more enjoyable medicine. Other historians claim that slaves working on the fields, or perhaps Cuban farmers, came up with a rougher version of the drink in the 19th century.

Given those facts, let's assume this was a common man's drink, something to add a bit of sweetness to the harsh taste of life. They had their bottle of aguardiente, which was awful, and they had to mix it with something to get a palatable drink after a hard day of work.

At some point, this rustic Mojito found its way onto the Cuban beach bars. And when Prohibition struck, American tourists discovered the Mojito. From that point it spread like wildfire globally.

Foto: Urbanfever.ro

Classic Mojito

8-12 mint leaves

2oz rum

1oz fresh squeezed lime juice

1oz simple syrup

3-4 oz club soda

Build over ice in a Collins glass. Swizzle and garnish with a mint sprig.

No one can argue that this is a refreshing drink. From the farmer's field to high-end restaurants, this little tipple has seen quite an evolution. But it suffers from apathy and a lack of attention to details. In fact,

it's safe to say this is the most inconsistent drink that you can order, varying from sublime perfection to total failure. Remember folks, the difference between good and excellent is that little bit extra effort and trust me, that extra will matter, at the end of the day.

For a glimpse of how to do it right, let's watch Dushan Zaric of Employees Only make a Mojito:

VIDEO: How to Make a Mojito

Here's a twist of my own:

Foto: Urbanfever.ro

Eldercooler

8-12 mint leaves

1 oz rum

1 oz watermelon liqueur

1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice

1 oz elderflower syrup

3–4 oz club soda

• Build over ice in a Collins glass. Swizzle and garnish with a mint sprig.

The "golden ratio" of equal parts never stops to amaze me.

Recently, I made a little experiment without telling anyone else using equal parts of everything (spirit, liqueur, sour, sweet). It was perfect. After reading all those books, spending countless hours of studying ratios, and indulging in lot of geekiness, how frustratingly wonderful that it all comes down to equal parts.

At the end of the day if my guests are happy and the bar thrives, I am pleased.

Simple is best!

References: Wikipedia
Liquor.com
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