Dark Rum Mojito

Fan of the classic mojito? Then you have to try this Dark Rum Mojito Recipe!

A delicious variation on this refreshing cocktail, it strikes the perfect balance between sweet, sour, and a little spicy. With a deeper and richer flavor, you're sure to love this dark mojito!

When it comes to rum cocktails, it's no surprise that the mojito tops the list.

Sweet, tart, and refreshing, this classic cocktail combines white rum, fresh lime, mint, and club soda. Like most simple cocktail recipes, this one is open to interpretation.

Substituting a dark rum gives an added layer of spice but keeps all the flavor of the original - and then some! Bonus - you can make it on the fly with readily available ingredients.

Sip it on a sunny afternoon - or evening, or with brunch...or pretty much anytime you want an easy and simple sipper that hits all the traditional mojito flavor points... and then some!

So now that I've convinced you to make this easy classic cocktail - let's get to it!

🥘 Ingredients

Like the traditional recipe, this drink uses simple ingredients that can be found in your local grocery store.

• Dark rum: There are a huge number of brands to choose from for this popular drink. I used Plantation Original Dark since I enjoy its vanilla and citrus notes. Other great choices would be Myer's Original Dark (a classic!), Cruzan Aged Dark, or Captain Morgan. There's no reason to use a top-shelf bottle for this drink.
• Fresh lime juice: although bottled juice is convenient, fresh juice has a bright citrus flavor which is what you want!
• Demerara Syrup (i.e brown sugar syrup) I love the caramel and vanilla flavor of this syrup! If you only have simple syrup you can use that. But it's worth the extra few minutes to make this syrup.
• Fresh mint: An absolute must for a classic mojito!
• Club soda or sparkling water: I used lime sparkling water but club soda is traditional.
• Crushed ice

🔪Instructions

1. Add the fresh mint leaves and the demerara syrup to the bottom of your highball glass and lightly crush the leaves.
2. Add the fresh lime juice and add in the juiced lime wedges for more flavor!
3. Add the crushed ice.
4. Add the rum and top with sparkling water or soda water. Garnish with a mint sprig, a lime wheel, or slice, and straws if you're feeling fancy.

🍽️Bar Tools you will need

Here's what you will need:

• Muddler - You can use a bar spoon but my favorite muddler works much better.
• Tall glass - just about any tall glass works for this cocktail - I've had my eye on these beauties!!
• Jigger - cocktails are all about the proper ratios and an accurate, easy-to-use jigger is a must. This one is hands down my favorite.

💭Top Tips

• Be gentle when muddling the mint. You just need to lightly crush the mint leaves so that they release their oil. If you crush the leaves too much you'll end up with bits of mint in the drink!
• If you don't have a muddler (or don't want to buy one) or a bar spoon you can also use the handle end of a wooden spoon!

Substitutions

• Rum - you can substitute spiced or even black rum if that's what you have.
• Demerara syrup- I used demerara sugar (a k.a. raw sugar) instead of white sugar to make a simple syrup. The molasses and caramel flavor really enhances the spice notes of this cocktail. You can also use regular simple syrup or experiment with other sweeteners like honey syrup or golden syrup.

Variations

Here are some other mojito recipes you can try!

• Winter mojito - substitute a simple syrup infused with several sprigs of sage and rosemary for the demerara syrup in the recipe.
• Dirty Mojito - substitute an equal amount of gold rum in the recipe.
• Pineapple Vanilla Mojito - substitute agave nectar for the demerara syrup, and add ½ teaspoon of vanilla liqueur and a pineapple chunk to the mint instead of the lime wedges.

More Easy Cocktails

If you're a fan of dark rum cocktails this Rum Sour should top your list! Spicy and refreshing, it's the ideal drink to pair with appetizers or with bbq!

For all you vodka lovers, this vodka sour might just be the perfect vodka cocktail. Sweet, sour, and smooth, it's incredibly versatile and has only 4 ingredients!

If you're a fan of Scrubs, then the Apple Martini is not to be missed! A little sweet, a little sour, and oh-so-sophisticated - and only has 4 ingredients.

It doesn't get easier than the classic Old Fashioned, and this jazzy bourbon version has all the flavors. Smooth and a little smoky with a hint of orange, it's the perfect fireside sipper!

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