When it comes to summer drinking, the Mojito is a staple. Its citrusy, minty effervescence is the perfect thirst-quencher on sweltering hot days, whether you find yourself lounging poolside, party hopping, or simply sipping on a porch.
Over the years, the drink gained an unfair bad rep among bartenders, who were irked by its messy and slightly more involved preparation than other rum cocktails, such as the Daiquiri. But it really doesn’t take that much effort and the rewards speak for themselves — especially when made with fresh lime juice, not too much simple syrup, and a high quality rum.
On the latter front, making Mojitos doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think. Rum as a category is brimming with bargains, and even inexpensive bottles deliver tons of quality. We’ve rounded up seven of the best Mojito rums here, meaning there’s no excuse not to muddle and mix one up at home.
The Best White Rums for Mojitos
Denizen Aged White Rum
Technically speaking this is both an aged and white rum — the first of a few that will feature here — but let’s not worry too much about those technicalities and instead focus on what makes it great for Mojitos. Made using column-still rum from Trinidad and pot-still Jamaican rum, it’s bursting with character, with funky, herbaceous notes coming from the Jamaican distillate and the Trinidadian rum bringing sweet vanilla notes. This ain’t the one-dimensional mass-market profile most of us tried early in our drinking lives but it does compete with those bottles on price.
Average price: $19
Rating: 92
Plantation 3 Stars
If we had to select just one bottle as the best white rum for Mojitos — one that we were absolutely certain everyone would like — it would be Plantation 3 Stars. Made using a blend of aged and unaged rums from Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad, it serves an enjoyable mix of dark brown sugar, vanilla, and subtle herbal notes. When you’re done muddling Mojitos, that profile and the blend of rums this release is made from makes it ideal for Daiquiris.
Average price: $20
Rating: 93
Probitas White Blended Rum
Speaking of blends that are also ideal for Daiquiris, this mix from the Foursquare distillery in Barbados and Jamaica’s Hampden Estate takes things to a whole new level. Granted, its flavor profile might be more challenging (and polarizing) than the first two bottles on this list. So this is one for funk lovers and those looking for a bit more depth of flavor in their Mojitos.
Average price: $30
Rating: 94
Worthy Park Estate ‘Rum-Bar’ White Overproof Rum
From a different (but similarly beloved) Jamaican institution arrives this super-charged, 63 percent ABV pot-still rum. Its high-ester profile means it does stand out in cocktails — in a good way — while its high alcohol content actually serves to soften some of its funkier notes. It’s probably a good idea to stick to just one Mojito when mixing with this rum.
Average price: $30
Rating: 94
Ten to One Caribbean White Rum
Here’s another white rum that fits the bill of multinational blend with a profile that means you don’t have to stock a few different rums to recreate classic cocktails, especially in the tiki realm. It proves just as adept when mixing in simpler drinks, like the Mojito, bringing distinct grassy, molasses notes to the drink,
Average price: $30
Rating: 94
The Best Aged Rums for Mojitos
Cruzan Estate Diamond Light Rum
Charcoal filtration has stripped away most of the color from this aged rum and softened its profile to light, sweet, and slightly oaky. Reach for this bottle for easy-drinking Mojitos with mass appeal. You can’t argue with the price, either!
Average price: $21
Rating: 92
Don Q Reserva 7
Here’s another aged rum that’s not overly complex in profile, nor overly expensive. Both of those factors make it a great fit for the Mojito or mixing cocktails in general. It’s also generally quite widely available meaning you should be able to come across a bottle even if you’re shopping out in the sticks.
Average price: $25
Rating: 90
FAQ
What alcohol makes the best Mojito?
While we’re all for experimentation, the Mojito is a rum drink and therefore rum is best for this cocktail. Given the vast range of different styles of rum, however, the cocktail can take on so many different guises and flavor profiles even when sticking within the category.
What is the best rum for Mojitos?
It depends on personal preference when considering the best Mojito rum, but generally speaking, rums that are unaged and not too complex will likely produce a version of this cocktail that appeals to the vast majority of drinkers.
Is Captain Morgan rum good for Mojitos?
We’re not ones to judge drinkers’ selections here at VinePair but there is a long list of bottles that would have to be unavailable for us to reach for Captain Morgan when making Mojitos. And we might even opt for a different cocktail entirely.
VinePair’s Tasting Methodology: How We Rate
Throughout the year, VinePair conducts numerous tastings for our popular Buy This Booze column and wine and spirits reviews. Our mission is to offer a clear, reliable source of information for drinkers, providing an overview applicable to day-to-day buying and drinking.
In alignment with our reviews mission, we believe in purposefully tasting all products as our readers typically would, with full knowledge of the producer, the region, and — importantly — the price. Tastings are therefore not typically conducted blind.
For Buy This Booze roundups, we usually include a maximum of one expression per brand, though we do allow multiple products from the same production facility (i.e., released under different labels).
