Passionfruit Mojito cocktail recipe

When it comes to Mojito variations, passionfruit is the one you see the most. Why? Because it’s delicious. 

The Mojito cocktail goes way back. Some say it dates back to around 1586 when it was called the Draque cocktail and thought to be a treatment for cholera. But the Mojito really came into its own when Bacardi opened up its first distillery in the mid-1800s. That’s when the original recipe was changed to include Barcardi rum in place of aguardiente, an early distilled spirit.

But how did the Draque officially change its name to the Mojito? Well, there are two theories. The first is that it comes from the Spanish word ‘mojar’, which means ‘to wet’. The second (and perhaps more believable of the two) is that the word was created by enslaved Africans brought to Cuba to harvest sugar cane. In this origin story, 'Mojito' comes from the African word ‘mojo’, meaning to place a little spell, which would make sense considering early versions of the cocktail were used for medicinal purposes.

As for adding passionfruit? It’s nothing new. In Peru, muddling fresh passionfruit in a Mojito makes it a Mojito de Maracuya and it’s a very popular drink. After one sip, you’ll see why.

How you treat the mint is what’ll make or break your Mojito. We’ve mentioned it before and we’ll mention it again – do not over-muddle your mint. Over-muddling will bruise and break the mint leaves, leaving little brown shards throughout your cocktail. You want to be as gentle as possible with the mint, so stir it through or lightly muddle it at the bottom of the glass, but don’t bruise.

For the garnish, get yourself a healthy sprig of mint and place it next to your straw, that way you’ll get all the aromatics while you’re sipping.