Muddled mint and fresh lime over crushed ice, sweetened just enough and lengthened with soda water, make this a Mojito with the white rum simply left out. The bright citrus, the cooling herbal lift and the long fizz all stay, with extra soda filling the rum's place, so it drinks light, green and garden-fresh to the bottom of the glass.
Garnish: Mint Sprig, Lime Wheel
built · Highball · Crushed
muddle
In a highball glass, gently muddle the mint sprigs with the simple syrup and lime juice to bruise the leaves and release their oils — do not shred.
add
Add a splash of soda water, then fill the glass with crushed ice.
top
Top with soda water (filling the space the rum would occupy in a Mojito) and stir lightly to lift the mint and combine.
garnish
Garnish with a fresh mint sprig and, optionally, a lime wheel.
No one is credited with the Nojito: it is the rum-free form of the Mojito, and that alcohol-free version answers to both "virgin mojito" and "nojito." Its parent is a Havana drink of debated origin, and legend reaches back to "El Draque," a precursor associated with Sir Francis Drake's era and with aguardiente de caña. The Mojito went on to an official IBA specification, and the sober version keeps that build of mint, lime, sugar and soda while dropping the spirit.