Cocktail Explorer

The Mojito

There is fierce debate over the exact origins of the Mojito, but legend has it that Sir Francis Drake invented it.

Drake’s ship suffered an outbreak of scurvy and dysentery during the Great Expedition. An expedition went ashore in Cuba looking for a cure and returned with a local blend of aguardiente de caa (a precursor to rum) mixed with lime, sugarcane juice, and mint. It worked, and the concoction was named “El Draque” in Drake’s honor.