The Five Best Rums to Use in a Mojito
Making craft cocktails at home isn’t a difficult thing to do if you have a good recipe and the right ingredients. Although it’s not rocket science, there are a few things that can make your mojitos better than average. It starts with the right rum for the job. Any of us who have experimented with different brands and types of rum have learned through trial and error which rums make the best Mojito. While it’s mostly a matter of preference, we have our druthers so we’re sharing our seasoned opinions about the five best rums to use in a Mojito for the best results.
5. The Real McCoy White
The Real McCoy White is a 3-year rum with an ABV of 40%. It’s produced in the Barbados region. We chose this rum because of its light color and the essence of unripened fruit. Subtle notes of banana and coconut with a hint of pineapple are the perfect complements for the minty fresh Mojito. This rum has an exceptional balance of subtle fruity notes with none overpowering the overall personality for an even and smooth addition to various craft cocktails. The Real McCoy White is a versatile light rum and the mildest in the Real McCoy family of rums. Rum Ratings gives it a decent rating as an excellent mixer rum for craft cocktails.
4. Mount Gay Eclipse Barbados Rum
This rum is from one of the oldest distilleries still in existence after a successful run of 300 years. Eclipse is distilled through a unique process that uses copper tools in the process, storing the spirits to mature in American whiskey casks that are being repurposed. Total Wine points out the lighter notes of almond and vanilla with a hint of ripe banana, with apricot. These features combine to deliver a well-balanced and interesting rum with all notes compatible with the mint flavor or the mojito. If you’re fond of Barbados rums, this is one of the oldest companies dating back to the 1700s. They’ve had years to perfect the trade. The ABV is 40%, which offers a mild alcohol content with a golden color.
3. Cruzan Light Rum
Cruzan Light Rum is distilled in St. Croix, the US Virgin Islands. It’s a light rum that is aged in American oak barrels for four years. The result is a rum that is full-bodied yet smooth in taste. It’s a light-colored rum that is a bit on the dry side with overtones of vanilla at the finish. Drizly recommends this clean, dry, and smooth rum with its uncomplicated personality as a sipper for neat, but best for the base of craft cocktails such as Mojitos. The simplicity of Cruzan light rum is one of its best qualities, The light vanilla notes complement the minty flavor of the Mojito without detracting from its original intention if you’re a purist.
2. Bacardi Superior Rum
Bacardi is one of the most well-known names in the rum industry. The distillery opened for business in Cuba in 1862. While Bacardi’s Superior Rum is not the best for sipping, it makes one of the best cocktail bases. The ABV is 40%. It has a light color that won’t interfere with the pleasing visual effects of craft cocktails. The qualities are sweet rum with notes of banana and apple with a tinge of pear. If you prefer a bit of fruitiness, this is likely one of the better choices. The balanced combination of fruit notes is ideal for creating Mojitos that are more on the sweet side. Influenster ranks Bacardi Superior Rum a little higher than most other review sites and points to subtle hints of floral notes that include rose, lavender, and orange blossom. They point out that Bacardi Superior Rum has received numerous awards for its light and aromatic flavor. The label was introduced by its creator Don Facundo Bacardi Masso in the year 1862. It’s been around for nearly a century and a half. The longevity alone suggests that there is something special about Bacardi Superior Rum. The distiller continues to produce this flagship product in mass quantities to fulfill the huge demand for it.
1. Plantation 3 Stars Rum
Rum Ratings gives Plantation 3 Stars rum a 7.1 out of 10 ratings. We’re not going to argue because it’s an exceptional rum for making Mojitos and other craft cocktails, for that matter. This label is a blend of rums from Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad. It’s where the name Plantation 3 Stars is derived. The distiller took what they considered the best-aged rums from three regions with a range of spirits from unaged rum from Barbados to Jamaica’s finest 10-year aged rum. The subtle notes of this blended rum are predominantly brown sugar and vanilla with hints of honey. These are nuances detectable on the nose, followed by root beer and dark chocolate on the palate for a darker and deeper finish. What we love the most about Plantation 3 Stars rum is the finale coming off with herbal and perhaps a slightly grassy essence. With such complexity, this is one of the most even and balanced rum blends on the market today. Although it’s just our opinion, we haven’t found a more complex rum for making unique Mojitos.
Final thoughts
We hope you find our recommendations for the best rums for Mojitos to be helpful. We kept our selections broad to give you a range of options for creating unique craft drinks that stand out. Each of the five rums will impart slightly different qualities that work well with minty Mojitos. Our choices come backed by some of the most respected review sites that support these rums as among the top selections by experts with discriminating tastes and judgments in their rum reviews.