Put down the muddler. For this mojito recipe, you won’t need it. Instead, bartender Eben Freeman relies on the technique of gently tearing mint leaves and stirring them into a highball glass that’s been filled with crushed ice. Instead of bruising the mint with a muddler, which can lead to acrid flavors, this method gently coaxes the aroma from the leaves and disperses it into the lime-and-sugar syrup at the bottom of the glass. Continue building the drink in the glass with a pour of white rum—this is no place for anything dark or robust, you want something crisp. A Cuban rum would be appropriate for a classic mojito cocktail; the majority of mojitos you’ve had at bars or restaurants were likely made with Bacardi. We like Banks 5 Island, a blended rum that has a little more depth. Finish with a splash of club soda and gently stir (with a bar spoon if you have one, or a chopstick if you don’t) to combine.

　　To garnish this easy drink, you don’t need a lime wedge or a hunk of sugar cane. Just take a fresh sprig of mint, tap it in the palm of your hand to encourage its fragrance, then tuck it into the glass so that you get a big whiff of mint with every sip of this refreshing cocktail.

　　Editor's note: This recipe was originally published May 2008.

Ingredients

　　2 tablespoons (1 ounce) fresh lime juice

　　2 heaping teaspoons superfine sugar

　　1 cup crushed ice

　　12 fresh mint leaves, plus 5 small sprigs for garnish

　　¼ cup (2 ounces) white rum

　　2 tablespoons (1 ounce) club soda

　　In 10-ounce glass (such as Collins or highball), stir together lime juice and sugar until sugar dissolves. Add ¼ cup crushed ice. Rub mint leaves over rim of glass, then tear leaves in half and add to glass. Gently stir for 15 seconds, then add rum, remaining crushed ice, and club soda. Gently stir for 5 seconds, then tuck mint sprigs into top of glass and insert tall straw.

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