Hierbabuena Mojito

Here is the truth that most bars get wrong: a real Cuban mojito is made with hierbabuena, not peppermint and not the spearmint variety you usually find in supermarkets. Hierbabuena has a softer, sweeter, more aromatic profile that doesn't taste like toothpaste. If you've ever wondered why a mojito in Havana tastes different from one at home, the mint is the answer.

Brown sugar, not white, is the second secret. Cuban tradition uses unrefined cane sugar (azúcar moreno), which adds a faint molasses note that ties the rum, lime, and mint together. White sugar disappears; brown sugar gives the drink soul.

The technique matters: muddle the mint and sugar with lime juice gently, never aggressively. Bruising the mint enough to release oils is the goal—shredding it makes the drink bitter and floods it with green chlorophyll bits. Press, twist, and release.

For a mocktail version, build the drink the same way but skip the rum. Increase the soda to fill, add a generous extra squeeze of lime, and finish with a few dashes of non-alcoholic bitters for backbone. You get the entire ritual—the muddling, the aroma, the freshness—without the buzz.