For this month’s Gin Club we decided to celebrate a classic summer cocktail, the Mojito. Classy and refreshing: it feels like a perfect fit for the Secret Garden Distillery, and our short Scottish summer. To make it, we took two types of mint: Mojito mint (also known as Hemingway’s mint, more on that later) and Spearmint, and distilled them along with fresh lime leaves and juniper to create a delicious refreshing gin.
The origins of the mojito cocktail are subject to debate, with some noting the similarities with a 16th century cocktail made of roughly distilled sugar cane spirit and flavoured with mint and lime called El Draque which is attributed to Francis Drake (who was pretty much a pirate) and regarded as the first cocktail ever invented. Another theory goes that it was created in the Cuban sugar fields in the 19th century. By far the most enduring origin story though is that it was invented in Havana’s La Bodeguita del Medio in 1942 and made popular by legendary drinker, writer, and all-round rogue Ernest Hemingway. Since the Hemingway’s Mint we use in this gin, Mentha nemorosa, is named after him then I guess we’ll go with that one.
Interestingly, a mojito with gin substituted for rum is known as a Southside, a perfect match for us as we are on the south side of Edinburgh.
As always with the Gin Club, this distinctive creation was lots of fun to make (still can’t believe I get paid to do this) and we hope you enjoy drinking it as much as we enjoyed bringing it to life. It’s perfectly delicious as a standard Gin & Tonic but if you feel like having some fun with it (and why wouldn’t you) then serve in a highball with gomme syrup, limes, our mint garnish, and soda for a Southside. Better still, for a special twist, substitute the soda for Champagne for a Southside Royale.
The origins of the mojito cocktail are subject to debate, with some noting the similarities with a 16th century cocktail made of roughly distilled sugar cane spirit and flavoured with mint and lime called El Draque which is attributed to Francis Drake (who was pretty much a pirate) and regarded as the first cocktail ever invented. Another theory goes that it was created in the Cuban sugar fields in the 19th century. By far the most enduring origin story though is that it was invented in Havana’s La Bodeguita del Medio in 1942 and made popular by legendary drinker, writer, and all-round rogue Ernest Hemingway. Since the Hemingway’s Mint we use in this gin, Mentha nemorosa, is named after him then I guess we’ll go with that one.
Interestingly, a mojito with gin substituted for rum is known as a Southside, a perfect match for us as we are on the south side of Edinburgh.
As always with the Gin Club, this distinctive creation was lots of fun to make (still can’t believe I get paid to do this) and we hope you enjoy drinking it as much as we enjoyed bringing it to life. It’s perfectly delicious as a standard Gin & Tonic but if you feel like having some fun with it (and why wouldn’t you) then serve in a highball with gomme syrup, limes, our mint garnish, and soda for a Southside. Better still, for a special twist, substitute the soda for Champagne for a Southside Royale.
