Classics Series: Mojito with Lychee

Mojitos always remind me of relaxing summers in Minneapolis and enjoying happy hour with friends (shout out to Chino Latino). Since discovering this recipe in The Bar Book, this is my preferred Mojito recipe. I included this recipe in the classics series since you can easily take out the lychee to make a classic Mojito. I also don’t like super fizzy mojitos, so this recipe calls for less sparkling water than the original. You can cut down the sweetness by adding more sparkling water, so adjust to your taste. If using only whole lychees in the recipe, I find that the lychee flavor is very faint, so I would recommend replacing some of the simple syrup with lychee syrup if you want the full lychee flavor. This is an easy cocktail that’s built directly in the serving glass, so I hope you’ll try it at home!

Classic Mojito with Lychees (technically 2 servings)

• 4 oz. of rum (I used Cruzan aged white rum)
• 2 oz. of sparkling water (non-sweetened)
• 1 oz. of 2:1 simple syrup (2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of boiling water, mix directly in a mason jar)
• 1 lime cut into 2 halves
• 16-ish spearmint leaves
• Optional twists: Whole lychees (3 in the drink, 2 for garnish), strawberries, or other summer fruits
  

Equipment

• Collins glass
• Jigger
• Muddler
• Bar spoon
• Wooden reamer
• Crushed ice (Use your blender to crush 4 cups of ice)

Directions

1. Optional step if using whole fruits –  In the Collins glass, muddle the fruit first before adding mint and sugar
2. In the Collins glass, tear off each mint leaf and add 1 ounce of simple syrup
3. Use your muddler to gently press down on the mint and sugar mixture until you can easily smell the mint. Be careful not to tear the mint leaves since they might clog your straw.
4. Use the wooden reamer to juice both halves of the lime
5. Add half of the used lime directly in the glass
6. Add the rum and stir with the bar spoon
7. Add a handful of crushed ice and stir into the mixture
8. Add the sparkling water and fill the rest of the glass up with crushed ice
9. To garnish, alternate between lychee and mint leaves on a toothpick

Cheers!