The Mojito

Our friends John and Ginger came over tonight to serve as tasters for the next drink on my list - The Mojito. Before we could get to the Mojito, John introduced us to his version of the Manhattan. David gives it 5 Swizzle Sticks.

John's version uses bourbon instead of blended whiskey. He uses the sweet vermouth and bitters, and adds a dash of Grenadine. Served with 3 Maraschino cherries. Definitely a keeper. From my research, it's officially called a Biscayne Manhattan.

Then on to the Mojitos which Ginger and I really liked. Mojitos are from Cuba and AGAIN, the origin is up for debate. One camp traces it to the 16th century and Sir Frances Drake. Another source believes African slaves working in the sugar cane fields in Cuba invented the drink in the 19th century. I had 6 resources and 6 slight variations to the classic drink. The recipe below is very smooth and represents one of the sweeter versions.
David's Swizzle Stick Rating:
The Mojito - 4 Swizzle Sticks

The Mojito - 6 sprigs of fresh mint, 1/2 lime, 2 tsp. sugar, 2 oz. white rum, 2 oz. club soda. Muddle (crush) the mint with the back of a spoon and mix with the sugar in an Old Fashioned cocktail glass. Add the juice of 1/2 a lime. Add rum. Fill more than half way with ice. Add club soda and stir. Garnish with fresh mint.

So far, the Mojito is my favorite and might rival my old standby - Gin & Tonic. David said this version tasted much like Sprite. (As if that's a bad thing!)