Before I tell you the story, for anyone who wants to recreate it at home I've put together a ready-to-shop list with all the exact ingredients you need. Now, onto the legend.
The Mojito has roots reaching back to 16th-century Cuba. Legend says that in 1586, the men of Sir Francis Drake raided Havana and mixed the local aguardiente with lime, sugar and mint as a rough remedy against scurvy and fevers. That drink, nicknamed "El Draque" in Drake's honor, is considered the Mojito's ancestor.
Centuries later, Cuban rum replaced the old aguardiente and the Mojito found its forever home at La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana, where Ernest Hemingway famously scribbled: "My mojito in La Bodeguita, my daiquirí in El Floridita." That single line, framed on the wall, turned the place into a pilgrimage and the cocktail into a global icon of Cuban identity.
Beyond the ingredients, what makes a home cocktail truly memorable is the gear. A proper barman kit like this one on Amazon gives you the shaker, jigger, strainer and bar spoon you need to treat every guest like a regular at a legendary bar. And if you love entertaining, upgrading to a full professional cocktail bar station turns your kitchen corner into a real, organized bar where bottles stand ready and nothing is out of place.