Rum · Explainer
Which rum do you use for a mojito?
For a mojito, use a light, unaged white rum. The official recipe of the International Bartenders Association prescribes 45 millilitres of white Cuban rum, with 20 millilitres of lime juice, six sprigs of mint, two teaspoons of cane sugar and soda water. A light rum keeps lime and mint to the fore; a heavy, long-aged rum brings wood notes that drown them out.
In brief
The key figures
| Official recipe | 45 ml white rum, 20 ml lime juice, 6 sprigs of mint, 2 teaspoons cane sugar, soda water |
|---|---|
| Type of rum in the recipe | White Cuban rum |
| Minimum for rum | 37.5 per cent alcohol (Regulation (EU) 2019/787) |
| Usual strength for mixing | 37.5 to 40 per cent |
| White rum | No legal category; the word is not defined |
| Method | Press the mint lightly, add ice, add rum, top up with soda |
| Garnish | Sprigs of mint and a slice of lime |
| Age limit | NIX18: geen alcohol onder de 18 jaar |
Which style of rum suits a mojito?
A light, unaged white rum works best, because lime, mint and sugar set the direction in this glass.
The official recipe of the International Bartenders Association calls for 45 millilitres of white Cuban rum, 20 millilitres of fresh lime juice, six sprigs of mint, two teaspoons of cane sugar and soda water. The rum provides the base and the alcohol, the rest of the glass provides the flavour.
A light rum lets those fresh ingredients do their work and complements them instead of overpowering them.
Why does a heavy rum work less well here?
Heavy, long-aged rum brings wood and cask notes that sit awkwardly with fresh mint and lime.
Rum that has spent years in oak takes on colour and flavour from it. In a short, stirred drink that is a gain. In a mojito, with plenty of ice, soda water and a good amount of lime juice, those notes clash with the mint.
If you still want to use an aged rum, keep the ageing short and leave the quantities as they are.
What does white Cuban rum in the recipe mean?
White Cuban rum in the recipe stands for colourless rum from Cuba, and is therefore a pointer to the style, not a legal category.
Regulation (EU) 2019/787 has the category rum, with a minimum of 37.5 per cent alcohol, but has no category white rum. Words such as white, blanco, silver and light are therefore not fixed and mean something different from bottle to bottle.
So look at the country of origin and the alcohol content on the label, and not just at the colour in the bottle.
Which alcohol percentage should you use for a mojito?
Between 37.5 and 40 per cent is the usual strength, and that is what the ratio of 45 millilitres of rum to 20 millilitres of lime juice is based on.
Below 37.5 per cent a bottle may not be called rum; anything below that is a liqueur or a mixed drink. Above 45 per cent the alcohol starts to dominate in this build, unless you reduce the measure of rum and use more soda water.
If you use a stronger rum, adjust the measure rather than the recipe.
Which rum should you buy if you are getting one to keep at home?
A white rum of 37.5 to 40 per cent is the most versatile bottle, because besides a mojito it also works in a daiquiri or a cuba libre.
Such a rum is neutral enough to let fresh ingredients lead, and strong enough not to disappear behind lime and soda. For anyone who mixes at home, it is the bottle that gets opened most often.
If you also want something to drink neat, choose an aged rum and keep it out of the mojito glass.
From the shop in Bathmen
Which rums from 37.5 to 40 per cent are in stock in Bathmen?
The shop in Bathmen has 204 rums from 72 different brands from 32 countries. Prices range from € 4.50 to € 389.99. The alcohol percentage ranges from 37.5% to 40%.
- Angostura 1919 40% · 70 cl · Trinidad and Tobago
- Angostura 7 Years Old 40% · 70 cl · Caribbean
- Angostura Tamboo Spiced Rum 40% · 70 cl · Trinidad and Tobago
- Appleton Estate 40% · 70 cl · Jamaica
- Bacardi Anejo Cuatro 40% · 70 cl · Cuba
- Bacardi Caribbean Spiced 40% · 70 cl · Cuba
- Bacardi Carta Blanca + origineel Bacardi Glas On Pack 37.5% · 100 cl · Italy
- Bacardi Carta Negra 40% · 70 cl · Cuba
- Bacardi Carta Negra 40% · 100 cl · Cuba
- Bacardi Carta Oro 40% · 70 cl · Cuba
Related questions
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Short answer
Short answers to related questions
- How much rum goes into a mojito?
- 45 millilitres according to the official recipe of the International Bartenders Association.
- Can you make a mojito with dark rum?
- You can. Keep the quantities the same and choose a rum with a short ageing.
- How do you stop the mint turning bitter?
- Press the mint lightly with the sugar and lime juice instead of crushing it finely.
- Can you make a mojito without alcohol?
- Yes. Leave out the rum, keep the lime, mint, sugar and soda and top up with extra soda.
The reasoning
Sources
- Mojito, official recipe, International Bartenders Association (accessed 2026-09-05)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks, EUR-Lex, Publications Office of the European Union (accessed 2026-09-05)
- Alcoholwet (Dutch Alcohol Act), article 20 (age limit 18), Overheid.nl, wetten.overheid.nl (accessed 2026-09-05)
- Alcohol, Voedingscentrum (accessed 2026-09-05)
This page was written and checked by ’t Bockje Bathmen, wine and spirits shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Last updated on 7 September 2026.
Verkoop van alcohol onder de 18 jaar is verboden. NIX18.