National Mojito Day is observed on July 11 each year.
This year, PATRÓN Tequila is getting into the National Mojito Day spirit by giving the Cuban highball cocktail a tequila-filled twist — especially with National Tequila Day just 13 days away.
Mojitos, which are sometimes referred to as Cuban punch, are a sweet and citrusy drink that’s typically made with white rum, lime, sugar, sparkling water and mint.
Cocktail makers have put their own spin on the drink by incorporating new flavors, including substituting rum with a different spirit or limes for lemons.
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PATRÓN recommends that cocktail makers use PATRÓN Silver when attempting the brand’s "PATRÓN Mojito" recipe, but people can use any tequila brand or alternative spirit they prefer.
Some bar menus and blogs suggest mojitos made with mezcal, vodka and gin.
Here’s the tequila mojito cocktail recipe that PATRÓN shared with Fox News Digital.
Cocktail shaker or mixing glass with strainer
Muddler, tongs for ice and garnish, shot pourer and cocktail spoon
Collins or highball glass
Optional: condiment bowls for ingredients
Optional: straws
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3 sprigs fresh mint
0.75-ounce simple syrup
0.75-ounce fresh lime juice
1.5 ounces silver tequila
Sparkling water
Lime wedges for garnish
1. Place two sprigs of mint in a cocktail shaker or mixing glass. A sprig is equivalent to approximately one tablespoon.
2. Pour in the simple syrup and muddle the mint and syrup in the shaker. Muddling is a technique in which ingredients are crushed and twisted with a muddler. Doing this releases flavor.
3. After muddling, pour the silver tequila (or preferred spirit) and lime juice in the shaker.
4. Add ice and shake vigorously to chill the drink.
5. Strain the shaken contents onto fresh ice in a Collins or highball glass.
6. Top with sparkling water and stir as desired.
7. Garnish with lime wedges and the remaining sprig of mint.
8. Serve and enjoy.
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The mojito’s origins aren’t certain, but historical records indicate the drink was created in Cuba during the 16th century.
An "old tale" claiming English explorer and privateer Sir Francis Drake created the mojito around 1586 while "seeking out a cure for scurvy and dysentery" has been shared widely, according to National Today, an online cultural calendar that identifies holidays and observances pegged to items and events.
Drake reportedly fashioned his first mojito during a voyage from Colombia to Cuba.
It’s believed that he created the mojito while he stopped at La Bodeguita del Medio, a peninsula in northwest Cuba.
Today, a bar known as La Bodeguita del Medio still stands in Havana and the establishment’s owners have upheld the claim that it's the birthplace of the mojito, according to National Today.
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Drake’s original mojito recipe was reportedly made with aguardiente, a clear distilled liquor popularized in South America by the Spanish and Portuguese.
The English explorer is believed to have mixed the aguardiente with mint and sugarcane, according to National Today.
"The unusual concoction went down a treat with his crew and many reported reduced symptoms," the calendar website indicated in a National Mojito Day profile.
Mojitos have taken many shapes in the last five centuries, said National Today.
The Sloppy Joes Bar in Havana reportedly published a cocktail menu in 1931 that showed mojitos can be made with rum or gin.
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"The recipe was then published in the ‘El Floridita Cocktail Book’ in 1939," National Today wrote.
"Since then, the drink has grown in popularity."
Mojitos have been associated with many famous figures, including American author Ernest Hemingway, French actress Brigitte Bardot and Irish "James Bond" actor Pierce Brosnan, who notably ordered a mojito in the 2002 film "Die Another Day."
Mojitos have become "synonymous with summer," said National Today.
