The 13 Best Rum for Mojitos With Cuban Flair | Expert Guide

By Timo Torner / Last updated on August 19, 2023

A perfect Mojito is a prime example of a citric and refreshing cocktail. Because it needs only a few ingredients, each plays a vital role in the drink. And by choosing the best Rum for your Mojito, you can lift it from good to great.
Best Rum for Mojitos - bottles of Plantation 3 Stars, Probitas Blenden, and Wray Nephew overproof Rum on green background

Originating from Havana, Cuba, the Mojito is among the oldest cocktails we know, having roots in the 1500s. The recipe for mixing a perfect Mojito cocktail includes mint leaves, sugar, fresh lime juice, and soda water. Due to its fresh, sweet, tangy, and herbal flavors the Cuban cocktail is the perfect summer cocktail.

When making Mojitos, it all comes down to attention to detail when making the drink and choosing the best bottle of Rum. Typically, a Mojito employs crisp White Rum but, occasionally, you can consider opting for aged, dark rum instead. So, here's our curated list of the best picks for making this refreshing drink, including recommendations from some of the best bartenders in the industry.

Our Top Picks

How To Pick The Best Rum For a Mojito

When choosing a rum for your Mojito, there are many factors to consider besides personal preference. Here's a quick overview of what you should look for:

  1. Type of Rum: Opt for a light-bodied or white rum. These varieties have a more crisp flavor profile that won't overpower the other ingredients in the mojito and pair extremely well with the fresh mint leaves.
  2. Quality: That should actually go without saying, but choose a good quality rum. You don't need to go for the most expensive options, you can get excellent rums in the mid-range section to enhance the overall taste of your mojito. Stay away from low-shelf bottles.
  3. Flavor Profile: Look for a rum with subtle and slightly sweet notes. A hint of vanilla, caramel, or tropical fruit can complement the flavors of mint and lime in the mojito. Floral notes rum, like in Flor de Caña 4 years, also work extremely well in the cocktail. 
  4. Smoothness: Ensure the rum is smooth and doesn't have a harsh alcohol burn. This will make the mojito more enjoyable to drink.
  5. Proof: Aim for a rum with a moderate alcohol content (around 40% ABV) to maintain a balanced cocktail. 

Should You Use White or Dark Rum for Your Mojito?

In general, white rum should be used in a Mojito. This type of rum is not only lighter but also cleaner, more crisp, and fresher than aged and dark rum. However, there are always exceptions and by choosing a dark rum as the base of your cocktail you can have a more mellow drink with a sweeter and heavier taste. Here's a quick guide to the two options.

White Rum: White rum, or light rum, is typically used in Mojitos because of its light and subtle flavor profile. It allows the refreshing mint, zesty lime, and other ingredients to shine without overpowering the cocktail. The absence of strong aging flavors in white rum ensures a crisp and balanced taste in the Mojito.

Dark Rum: Dark rum can add a richer and more complex flavor dimension to a Mojito. Its deeper caramel and molasses notes complement the mint and lime, creating a more robust and flavorful profile. However, it's important to use dark rum judiciously, as its stronger taste can easily overpower the other ingredients. Mixing it well and adjusting the proportions is key to achieving a balanced and satisfying Mojito with dark rum.

Recipe to make a Mojito

Here are the steps to make an authentic, classic Mojito.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz White Rum - Havana Rum 3 years 
  • 1 oz Lime juice
  • 2 tbsp Cane sugar (or simple syrup)
  • 10-15 Mojito mint leaves - plus additional for garnish
  • 2-4 oz Chilled soda water
  • 1 Sprig Mojito Mint and a lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

  • Add Mojito mint, lime juice, and cane sugar into a cocktail shaker. Gently muddle the ingredients to release the flavor of the mint without shredding them into pieces. The leaves should stay more or less intact.
  • Once the sugar is almost dissolved, add rum and shake the cocktail for 10-15 seconds.
  • Fill a Highball glass with ice cubes or crushed ice and add additional, slapped mint leaves. 
  • Strain the drink into the glass and top it up with chilled soda water.
  • Slap the mint sprig and use it to decorate the Mojito.

13 Bes​​​​​t Rum for Mojitos

1. Cruzan Aged Light Rum

Cruz aged light Rum

Specs

  • ABV: 40%
  • Origin: U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Flavors: Vanilla, coconut, and oak
  • Price: $9

Review

Produced in St. Croix on the U.S. Virgin Islands, Cruzan Light Rum is one of the cheaper options to make a good Mojito.

Aged in oak barrels for four years, the Rum is full-bodied with a clean finish. It's meant to be a mixer, not for sipping. But if you use it accordingly, it is a good and affordable option.

Like other light Rums, Cruzan is filtered after aging in the barrel. The result is an almost transparent and only lightly straw-colored spirit.

Why we like it

Cruzan Light is a great budget option with a rich and classic flavor profile.

2. Flor de Cana 4 Years - Extra Seco

Flor de Cana 4 years extra seco

Specs

  • ABV: 40%
  • Origin: Nicaragua
  • Flavors: Citrus and coconut
  • Price: $15

Review

This 4-year-old Extra Seco is a solid option in mixed drinks. It's affordable, of decent quality, and works great when mixed in cocktails. As the bottle already states, the spirit is extra dry. That results in a light body with only a little sweetness.

If you are into more fruity, sweet, and tropical Rums, Flor de Cana 4 Years might not be for you. Otherwise, this can be one the best reasonably priced Rum you can get.

Why we like it

This spirit is smooth with a beautiful aroma of vanilla and oak.

3. Rhum Barbancourt White

Rhum Barbancourt White

Specs

  • ABV: 43%
  • Origin: Haiti
  • Flavors: Caramel, vanilla, and banana
  • Price: $20

Review

Rhum Barbancourt White is a Haitian Rhum made of pure sugarcane juice. It's a crisp liquor with an above-average sweetness and some earthy and grassy notes. The flavor profile isn't overly complex, but that is alright when used in a cocktail full of flavor.

Rhum Barbancourt uses traditional French techniques that are usually applied when making Cognac. Translated into the production of Rum, the product is then aged to develop more intense flavors.

Why we like it

In Mojito recipes, the notes of tropical fruits and the slightly grassy taste make Rhum Barbancourt an appealing alternative to a classic white Rum.

4. Havana Club 3 Year old

Havana Club 3 years Rum

Specs

  • ABV: 40%
  • Origin: Cuba
  • Flavors: Vanilla, banana, and sugar cane
  • Price: $15 to $25 (not available in the US)

Review

Of course, Cuban Rum is the traditional choice when making a Mojito. And Havana Club produces some of my favorites. This classic 3-Year-old white Rum is the brand's best-selling product. Due to being aged in ex-Bourbon barrels, the spirit shows a light straw color.

It's medium-bodied and has an intriguing and complex flavor profile. Delicate notes of mellow oak, molasses, pineapple, and vanilla work perfectly when mixed with fresh mint and lime. Espita Beverage director James Simpson even names it the best fit for the mint-based drink:

"The best Mojito Rum has to be Havana Club 3 Year."

Why we like it

The rich taste of sugar cane, molasses, and oak pairs perfectly with the minty and citrusy flavors of a Mojito cocktail.

5. Botran Reserva Blanca

Botran Reserva Blanca Rum

Specs

  • ABV: 40%
  • Origin: Guatemala
  • Flavors: Currant, molasses, and cinnamon
  • Price: $34

Review

Originating in the highlands of Guatemala, Botran Reserva Blanca is a Rum full of fruity flavors. This liquor is distilled from fermented sugar cane honey and ages in a Solera process. After barrel-aging in several different casks, the spirit is filtered with charcoal to remove the brownish color.

You can also enjoy Botran Reserva Blanca neat. Yet, when used in mixed drinks, it unfolds its true potential. Try it for a unique and different take on a Mojito.

Why we like it

This Rum is intensely flavorful. Notes of oak, a spicy cinnamon taste, honey, caramel, and lots of fruity flavors create a complex and potent profile.

6. Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum

Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum

Specs

  • ABV: 63%
  • Origin: Jamaica
  • Flavors: Vanilla, banana, and coconut
  • Price: $25

Review

Wray & Nephew's white overproof is a staple in Jamaican homes. Used not only as an ingredient in cocktails but also as medicine, you can find it in almost every household.

The overproof Rum is potent and bold with a unique character. It certainly is not for the faint-hearted and not the first bottle to recommend using for a classic Mojito.

Just be careful. At more than 60% ABV, this spirit packs a punch. Especially on a hot summer day, a Mojito mixed with this fiery spirit can take you out quickly. So choose your measurements wisely.

Why we like it

This Rum is something special. -For newbies, Mojito lovers, and Rum experts alike. The full-bodied and punchy Wray & Nephews is an excellent bottle to try in a Mojito when looking for something different.

7. Probitas Blended White Rum

Probitas blended white Rum

Specs

  • ABV: 47%
  • Origin: Jamaica and Barbados
  • Flavors: Sugar cane, banana, custard, and citrus
  • Price: $33

Review

Probitas Blended is -as the name suggests- a blended Rum with an unusual approach. The blend consists of two distilleries from different Caribbean islands.

While one part is distilled by Hampden Estate in Jamaica using a pot still, the other part is a column-distilled Rum by Foursquare distillery in Barbados. Sounds unnecessarily complicated? It makes sense when you consider that environmental conditions influence the flavor.

Probitas is one of the more extravagant options on our list, with a unique backstory. Even Matthew Belanger, currently working as lead bartender at Death&Co in Los Angeles is an advocate of Probitas.

“Probitas Blended White Rum would make an awesome Mojito.”

Why we like it

This Blended aims to replicate the flavor profile of classic Cuban products. But the result is more than that. It brings together light and grassy notes with the typical funkiness of Jamaican Rum.

8. Matusalem Platino

Matusalem Platino Rum

Specs

  • ABV: 40%
  • Origin: Dominican Republic
  • Flavors: Demerara sugar, coconut, vanilla, and almond
  • Price: $19

Review

Matusalem Platino is a crisp and fresh white Rum from the Dominican Republic. Originally Matusalem was founded in Santiago de Cuba. That was in 1872, almost 150 years ago.

However, their Platino expression is made in the Dominican Republic and represents the mid-price section. It's an above-average Rum that works exceptionally well for mixing.

Why we like it

The cane spirit has a strong note of Demerara sugar and coconut, which resonates well with fresh mint and lime juice. If you like the coconut-forward flavor, it is a secret weapon for making amazing Mojitos.

9. El Dorado 3 Year Old

El Dorado Rum 3 years

Specs

  • ABV: 40%
  • Origin: Guyana
  • Flavors: Mint, vanilla, chocolate, and oak
  • Price: $19

Review

El Dorado's 3-Year-Old is another slightly aged Rum excellent in a Mojito. This bottle is one of the few on our list that works neat, too. Some might even recommend it over mixing it into a cocktail.

It's a mellow and well-balanced Guyanese cane spirit, bold and rich in flavor. The deep and complex profile combined with the unusual notes makes this Rum extraordinary.

Besides the classic notes like vanilla, oak, and sugar cane, El Dorado's straight expression carries rarer notes like mint and dark chocolate. Besides that, you can also taste hints of butterscotch and even hints of blue cheese.

Why we like it

The flavors are quite unique, it's versatile, and the spirit is super smooth.

10. Plantation 3 Stars

Plantation 3 stars Rum blend

Specs

  • ABV: 41,2%
  • Origin: France
  • Flavors: Fudge, vanilla, and nut
  • Price: $19

Review

Probably the best Rum for making a Mojito is coming from France. Plantation 3 Stars is produced in Cognac and based on a Trinidad Rum that aged for three years.

The resulting slightly darkened liquor is then filtered to remove the brownish color and the heavier tannins. Finally, the Rum gets blended with other unaged Rum from Barbados and Jamaica as well as an aged Jamaican Rum (12 years).

"3 Stars" represents the three major Rum-producing countries: Trinidad, Jamaica, and Barbados. It's a fantastic blend with a rich body. Kenneth McCoy from Rum House in NYC recommends either sipping Plantation 3 Stars on the rocks or in Rum cocktails like a Mojito or Daiquiri.

Why we like it

This bottle has a wonderfully complex taste, with fudge, vanilla, nutty notes, and a hint of toffee.

11. Plantation Stiggins Fancy Pineapple Rum

Plantation Stiggins Fancy Pineapple Rum

Specs

  • ABV: 40%
  • Origin: France
  • Flavors: Grilled pineapple, Demerara, peach, and cinnamon
  • Price: $32

Review

Plantation Stiggins Fancy Pineapple is based on Plantation Original Dark Rum and truly is a wild one. After infusing it with pineapple for three months, the spirit ages in oak casks once again before bottling.

The pronounced notes of grilled pineapple and peach create an overall very fruity taste. Balanced with sweet notes of Demerara and a spicy mix of cloves, cinnamon, and pepper Stiggins Fancy Pineapple Rum is a beautiful spirit to sip neat.

Why we like it

Used in a Mojito cocktail, this liquor creates a very tropical and mellow cocktail that is very different from the traditional recipe.

12. Mount Gay Eclipse Rum

Mount Gay Eclipse Rum

Specs

  • ABV: 40%
  • Origin: Barbados
  • Flavors: Toffee, citrus, cooked fruit
  • Price: $20

Review

The flagship expression of Mount Gay Raum is distilled from molasses. One part is produced using a pot still, the other with a column still. Both products are later blended before the aging process starts.

The taste is quite dry but carries sweet notes from toffee and caramel mixed with spicy notes from black pepper. It's a typical Barbadian-style Rum that goes well with mint and fresh limes.

Why we like it

Mount Gay's Eclipse expression has a very approachable palate and is a fantastic choice in a wide variety of Rum-based drinks.

13. Bacardi Añejo Cuatro

Bacardi Añejo Cuatro Rum

Specs

  • ABV: 40%
  • Origin: Puerto Rico
  • Flavors: Caramel, toffee, oak, and vanilla
  • Price: $21

Review

A new release by Bacardi from 2018. This Puerto Rican rum ages for four years in ex-Bourbon barrels. And to me, this one is an exquisite choice for mixing a Mojito. It's aged long enough to develop a rich and sweet taste but not too long to be overly heavy.

In a Mojito, this Rum offers a nice and sweet counterbalance to the fresh and tart flavors of mint and lime.

Why we like it

It's not the best sipper but a great mixing spirit that works in cocktails. I like it in Cuban classics like the Mojito or Cuba Libre.

 

Final Verdict

When making your next Mojito, check our list and pick your favorite Rum. If you can't decide, I recommend going with Plantation 3 Stars, Probitas Blended White, or Wray & Nephews Overproof Rum. Each of those will make for a gorgeous Mojito while being reasonably priced.

You are curious about making a Mojito with aged Rum but don't want to go all-in? Try a float of Dark Rum to your traditional Mojito. This little twist adds complexity to the drink and alters the flavor without losing out on the crispness and freshness of the classic.

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