Etna Mojito — A mojito with a Sicilian amaro in it, bitter orange and liquorice under the mint

Etna Mojito

A mojito with a Sicilian amaro in it, bitter orange and liquorice under the mint

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Ingredients

  • 3 wedgesLime
    Muddled
  • 2 ozSoda Water
    Added last
  • 1 1/2 ozAmaro dell'Etna
    Bitter orange, liquorice and vanilla
    Substitute: Another orange-forward amaro
  • 10 leavesMint Leaves
    Pressed, not ground
  • 1 ozWhite Rum
    A light dry rum
  • 2 tspBrown Sugar
    Muddled with the lime
    Substitute: Demerara syrup

Instructions

  1. Muddle 3 lime wedges with 2 tsp brown sugar in the base of a highball
  2. Press 10 mint leaves against the side of the glass and add crushed ice
  3. Pour in 1 1/2 oz Amaro dell'Etna and 1 oz white rum and stir from the bottom
  4. Top with 2 oz soda and garnish with mint and a lime wedge

Technique Notes

Press the mint against the side of the glass rather than grinding it. Torn leaves go grassy, and this build already has twenty-odd botanicals competing for the same space.

Why the Etna Mojito Works

A mojito is rum, lime, sugar and mint, and it has no middle. Amaro dell'Etna fills it with bitter orange and liquorice, which is why the rum measure drops: the amaro is doing half the base spirit's job.