Regardless of what time of year it is and what the weather outside looks like, there’s never a moment we’d pass up a well-made, classic mojito. This traditional Cuban punch is fresh, and boozy, and makes us feel like we’re sipping it with our feet in the sand, no matter where we are. It’s a simple cocktail made up of white rum, lime juice, sugar, soda water, and fresh mint. That’s it.
The result of all of these ingredients intermingling is a sweet, minty, herbal, citrus-filled, highly refreshing cocktail we celebrate every day of the year. And while all the ingredients are important, it’s the rum that we’re most interested in.
Nick Jackson, head bartender at The Rum House in New York City has a specific flavor profile he looks for when crafting this cocktail. “A nice white rum with some interesting characteristics. A lighter or white rum is best because the mojito should have a light and refreshing profile.”
Not everyone agrees with Jackson. That’s why we went to the professionals for help. We asked a few well-known bartenders for their recommendations for the best rums (or rhum agricoles) to mix into a traditional mojito. Keep scrolling to see all of their picks.
Bacardi Superior White Rum
Daniele Flumiani, restaurant manager at The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $20
The Rum:
Mojito is a refreshing cocktail known for its combination of mint, lime, sugar, and rum. A light rum is the best option in order to not overpower the other ingredients. Bacardi Superior is a good choice.
Tasting Notes:
It has a clean and light profile that pairs well with all the ingredients. It’s crisp and dry with vanilla, honey, a light nutty flavor, and light citrus peels.
Foursquare Probitas Rum
Nick Jackson, head bartender at The Rum House in New York City
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $29
The Rum:
For something more adventurous, Probitas Rum is my favorite, which blends rum from Foursquare in Barbados and Hampden Estate in Jamaica, the latter of which adds the characteristic funk Jamaican rums are known for.
Tasting Notes:
The tropical rum notes pair nicely with the fresh mint (don’t overdo it on the muddling), lime, and the effervescence of the soda.
Plantation 3 Stars Rum
James Macinnes, lead bartender at Klaw in Miami
ABV: 41.2%
Average Price: $20
The Rum:
I’m usually reaching for my go-to workhorse, Plantation 3 Stars. This bottling brings the best flavors of the Caribbean together to play a much-needed role in today’s cocktail culture.
Tasting Notes:
A nose of brown sugar and honey moves into a palate of molasses, vanilla, gentle spices, and dark chocolate.
Hamilton 86 Demerara Rum
Mike DeCamp, director of operations of Jester Concepts in Minneapolis
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $24
The Rum:
I want something to be more flavor-forward I would use something like Hamilton 86 Demerara because of the unrefined sugar flavor. It has a beautifully dirty flavor and makes you want to make sure you taste it in your drink.
Tasting Notes:
A lot is going on with this rum. There are notes of dried fruits, molasses, oak, and gentle spices. All of these flavors work in unison with the mint and lime in the traditional mojito.
Havana Club Añejo Blanco Rum
Michael Challenger, head bartender at Nautilus Sonesta in Miami
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $20
The Rum:
Havana Club Añejo Blanco is a popular choice for a mojito. Based on the original Cuban recipe, this popular rum is matured in an oak barrel before being blended and then rested for another two months. It’s complex, flavorful, and great more than a mojito.
Tasting Notes:
Its light and crisp profile with subtle vanilla and citrus notes complements the fresh mint and lime in the cocktail. It creates a refreshing and well-balanced mojito.
Diplomatico Planas Rum
Grigore Priocchi, bar manager at R.AIRE Restaurant in Hamptons Bays, New York
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $29
The Rum:
To make the best mojito, I use Diplomatico Planas White Rum. It’s aged for a full six years before being charcoal-filtered to remove its caramel color while maintaining its complex, rich flavor.
Tasting Notes:
Its creamy texture adds to the citrus of the lime juice and herbal notes of the mint. It gives you the feeling of being in the tropics.
Rhum J.M. Agricole Blanc
Mark Gallagher, bartender at Talbott Cucina in Chicago
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $42
The Rum:
Rhum J.M. Agricole. The mojito is all about refreshment, and what better than a freshly-pressed sugarcane distillate to offer a juicy fresh blast of Martinique volcanic terroir?
Tasting Notes:
This is a very flavorful rum with a ton of molasses and notes of mango and papaya blending harmoniously with the lime and mint.
Santa Teresa 1796 Rum
Reed Adelson, owner and beverage director at Virginia’s in New York City
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $44
The Rum:
We use Santa Teresa 1796. This popular solera-aged blend incorporates rums that are as old as 35 years old. It’s a little more complex than a white rum, but that’s what makes it so great for a mojito.
Tasting Notes:
We find this brings a distinct caramel note that cuts through the mint and citrus. It’s more complex than most rums that you’ll find as the base for a classic mojito.
Hamilton White Stache Rum
Kira Collings, bar manager at Hearth and Hill in Park City, Utah
ABV: 43.5%
Average Price: $25 for a liter
The Rum:
When I’m making a mojito for myself, I like to do a split base with Hamilton White Stache Rum and Plantation Pineapple Rum. These rums add a nice layer of complexity without overpowering the freshness of the mint and lime.
Tasting Notes:
The White Stache brings in a hint of coconut, and then you get a light touch of pineapple and warm spices from the Plantation Pineapple Rum.
Flor de Cana Extra Seco 4
Amber Milner, director of beverage at Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $18
The Rum:
Flor de Cana 4 Year is the best for mojitos and for cocktails in general. It holds up to the fresh flavors of the freshly squeezed lime and fresh, aromatic mint. Their mission and efforts for being more sustainable also make you feel good about what is in your glass.
Tasting Notes:
It’s molasses sweet and sugary with light earthy, grassy flavors, and vanilla. All of which pair well with lime and mint.
