Virgin Mojito: What's In the Name?

A friend of the English piratical Sir Francis Drake is said to have invented the mojito in Havana in the 1500s. His men experienced sickness and scurvy. A few went in search of help, and returned with aguardiente, mint leaves, lime juice, and sugar cane juice. The ill crew was promptly given a mixture concocted by combining these ingredients. Soon after, a drink with similar ingredients named "El Draque" became well-known in Cuba.

Another hypothesis attributes credit to African slaves who worked in Cuban fields. They appear to be the inventors of the mojito. According to the legends, they gave their aguardiente drink the name mojito by deriving it from the word mojo, which means to cast a spell.

A mojito is typically made with white rum, sugar syrup, lime juice, carbonated water, spearmint, and soda. It is a lengthy drink with a relatively low alcohol concentration, given the amount of mixer. It is among the simplest beverages to prepare. However, there is a significant amount of disagreement regarding its inventor.

In the simplest terms, a virgin drink is alcohol-free. The term "Virgin Mojito" or "Nojito" is used to describe a mojito without alcohol. The term virgin is connected with mocktails or drinks that replace alcohol with a flavouring potable such as ginger ale or tonic water. According to several sources, the moniker may have its origins in the Prohibition era.

Around this time, the vodka-and-tomato-juice Bloody Mary cocktail started to acquire popularity. Prohibition forbade folks from going out and getting a Bloody Mary. They would instead request a Virgin Mary, which was nothing more than tomato juice. This version was a snarky way to make sure they weren't ordering alcohol. It also contained overtly religious connotations.

Virgin tag isn't restricted to a mojito. There are several mocktails which have the same title. Virgin Daiquiri is prepared by blending ice, sugar, lime juice and fruit, usually strawberries. Likewise, Virgin Bellini combines peach nectar or extracts with sparkling apple cider. You may substitute fruit juice or tonic water for the alcoholic component of almost any cocktail to create a virgin drink of your own.