Cocktails

Muddle up a crowd-pleaser with this Gin Mojito recipe

A fresh spin on the world’s favourite rum highball, the lime-heavy Gin Mojito will be the most refreshing batch cocktail you make this party season.

Read Time 5 Minutes

By First Choice Liquor Market

Bursting with lime and mint, sweet, tangy, and oh-so refreshing, there’s lots to love about the classic mojito. But if white rum isn’t your go-to spirit, you may not always have a bottle on hand to mix up a mojito at cocktail hour. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to twist the original Cuban-style punch to refresh it for your spring and summer get-togethers. With the Gin Mojito, aka Southside cocktail, the bonus is those aromatic gin botanicals that pair so well with fresh citrus and herbs. So, grab a bottle of Mayfair London Dry Gin (or the non-alc equivalent) and create a big batch for everyone to enjoy.

How to make a Gin Mojito batch cocktail

Ingredients (serves 8):.

4 large limes, cut into wedges

1 cup mint leaves

500mL Mayfair London Dry Gin or Four Pillars Bandwagon Rare Dry

Ice cubes, to serve

1L soda water or mineral water

1 bunch mint

Method:

Place the sugar syrup in a bowl with half the lime and half the mint. Use a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon to muddle until the lime releases its juice. Add the gin and muddle again to infuse. Alternatively, you can do this in batches, in a cocktail shaker or pestle and mortar.
Half fill a large serving jug or punch bowl with ice. Add the remaining lime and mint. Strain in the gin mixture. Top up with soda water and stir to combine.
Garnish with extra mint to serve.

Tip: To make your own sugar syrup, bring 1 cup (250ml) water to the boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup (220g) caster sugar. Cook, stirring, for 1 min or until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 5-7 mins or until the syrup thickens slightly. Set aside to cool completely. Store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Stock up on the right ingredients for Gin Mojito cocktails

Did you know that Ernest Hemingway, Queen Elizabeth I and James Bond have all had a hand in making the mojito cocktail so wildly popular? It’s said that Havana, Cuba, is the rightful birthplace of the mojito. Sir Francis Drake, sailor hero of Queen Elizabeth I, inspired a drink called the Draque made from cane spirit, sugar, lime, and mint used to ward off fever and colds onboard ships. By 1833, during one of the worst cholera epidemics to ever hit Havana, Cubans were apparently downing a mojito a day to keep the doctor away – and then along came Hemingway. The famous American novelist and journalist apparently left a note in his favourite Cuban bar that read, “My mojito in La Bodeguita, my daiquiri in El Floridita.” Hemingway isn’t the only icon to be attached to this invigorating cocktail. While martinis are more associated with James Bond, actors Halle Berry and Pierce Brosnan flirted up a storm over mojitos on the beach in the movie Die Another Day. As for the version made with gin, the Southside gets its name from the area in Chicago, Illinois, where notorious gangster Al Capone and his crew illegally moved and consumed gin during the Prohibition era of the 1920s.

Stock up on the right ingredients for Gin Mojito cocktails

Want the right tools of the trade to make your cocktails dazzle? This 4-piece cocktail kit, complete with a handy muddling stick to draw out every ounce of sugary, minty goodness, makes cocktail-making a cinch. Got the tools, now you need the gin.

The distinctive flavours of Mayfair London Dry Gin will make your mojito a crowd pleaser this summer. Non-drinkers in the group can enjoy a ‘nojito’ – the mocktail version of a mojito. Make it following the recipe above and add no-alc Four Pillars Bandwagon Rare Dry for a taste sensation of orange and lemon myrtle with a dash of spice.

Make more refreshing batch cocktails with these recipes

Once you get a taste for this cocktail, you may want to explore more mint-forward mixes. Start with our Mint Julep, featuring quality bourbon and a homemade mint syrup. A sprig of mint never goes amiss in a classic Moscow Mule or summery Pimms Cup. Mint is also a key flavour in the blend of cucumber and jalapeño in our Spicy Margarita. Make sure you experiment with other herbs too – try the vodka-based watermelon and basil recipe in our summer punch recipes collection. Other great garnishes for gin cocktails (and mocktails) include rosemary, coriander and fennel fronds.