One of my favourite restaurants on the island is Beach House in Grand Baie. It has the perfect location; right on the beach. We discovered this little gem more than 10 years ago when we visited Mauritius for the first time. The food was delicious and their cocktails were superb. Especially their mojito cocktails.

We visited Beach House again this past December and their mojito is still my favourite island cocktail. Since then, I have been on a quest to make my own mojitos at home to satisfy my craving.

But first, let’s look at where the mojito cocktail is from and then look at how to make a delicious one. The mojito conjures up images of tropical islands covered in sugar cane and coconut trees, white beaches, and endless summer. Mojito is a traditional Cuban rum-based punch.

The origins of this simple punch are rather less clear. According to some sources the drink is similar to an old slave medicinal drink made to curb disease. A moonshine rum-type alcohol was mixed with mint, lime, and sugar cane syrup to ward off illness.

At some stage during the 1580s, Pirate Drake arrived in the region. There was an epidemic of scurvy onboard his ship and the crew knew that the locals might have remedies. The landing party that went ashore, returned with the ingredients to make the local “medical” drink.

Today we know that it was the lime juice that cured the scurvy, but the other ingredients made it more appetising. Over time, this combination of white spirits, lime juice, a sweet element, and mint became a classic. No visit to a tropical island is complete without at least 1 mojito.

Also Read: Espresso Martini

My favourite Mauritian rum to use

Living in Mauritius, there are many wonderful rums to use. As with all cocktails, using fresh ingredients and good-quality alcohol makes the drinking experience so much more enjoyable. I have even seen some of these rums at Master of Malt. Some of my favourite island rums to use include:

Green Island rum: Readily available on the island and I have seen it in SA as well. It has a grassy and herbal nose and a taste that reminds me a bit of coconut.

Labourdonnais rum: lively profile with plenty of fresh, sweet, and herbaceous character. A get balance between sweetness and warming spice.

Chamarel White rum: Single estate white rum with notes of candy sticks, vanilla, and subtle tropical fruits.

St Aubin Classic White rum: rhum agricole with plenty of local notes.

Variations on the theme

There are many interesting variations on the basic mojito theme. A few of my personal favourite include:

• Grilled Pineapple mojito where the cocktail gets topped with pineapple juice and grilled pineapple chunks.
• Coconut Mojito where the rum gets replaced with coconut rum and some coconut cream added.
• Mango mojito where the cocktail gets topped with mango juice and mango pieces added.
• There is also a mojito blanco where the rum is replaced by tequila.

Also Read: Rum vs Whiskey

How to make a Mojito cocktail

Ingredients

• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp simple syrup
• a small handful of mint leaves, plus an extra sprig to serve
• 60ml white rum
• soda water
• ice
• slice of lime for garnish

Method

• Muddle the mint leaves, simple syrup, and lime wedges gently together to release the mint oils but not crush the leaves.
• Add the rum, fill the glass with ice, and stir.
• Top with soda to taste and garnish with a sprig of mint and a slice of lime.

Also Read: Maker’s Mark vs Maker’s 46 Bourbon

Another refreshing classic whiskey cocktail today; the whiskey sour or a whisky sour if your choice runs that way. Whatever dram you use, does not matter.  Let’s look at how to make a whiskey sour cocktail.

The whiskey sour is a cocktail made with bourbon (or whisky), lemon juice, sugar, and optionally, a dash of egg white. The traditional garnish that was used was half an orange slice and a cherry.

The cocktail was mentioned in a Wisconsin newspaper around 1870, but exactly when and where it was created is unknown. Sailors have been drinking something that resembles a sour for even longer. Their reason was more medicinal – it kept scurvy away.

The alcohol base might have been slightly different, but the basic idea was there even during the 1700s. A cocktail that mixes a spirit, a sour, and a sweet.

I had a delicious whisky sour at a bar a couple of weeks ago and they made it with egg white. I loved the silky creaminess that the egg white added and have included it in my recipe. The original recipe did not include egg whites.

You can treat it as optional if you don’t have safe (pasteurised) egg white available. But it adds a nice depth to the drink. Egg whites do not have a flavour.

This makes it a great addition to a cocktail where you want to create more texture (froth). The egg white protein traps air in your drink and changes the texture without adding other flavours. When using egg white, it works better if you first shake the ingredients together without ice (dry shake).

Variations on the theme

There are quite a few variations on the theme. The New York sour version has a few bar spoons of full-bodied red wine floated on top. An Amaretto sour replaces the whisky with amaretto liqueur.

Best whiskey (or whisky) to use

Bourbon or Tennessee whiskey is the obvious choice for a whiskey sour. Even a spicy rye whiskey. Some suggestions on bourbon to use would include Uncle Nearest, Rittenhouse, Gentleman Jack, or Makers Mark bourbon.

You can also make it with peated whisky. Many people call this version a Smoky Sour. Try an Ardbeg 10 yo or Lagavulin 16 yo or a Johnnie Walker Black whisky. Other (non peaty) Scottish drams I suggest for a whisky sour would be your bolder Highland drams.

You need something big and bold to stand up to the sour element. Drams from Tomatin or Dalmore will work nicely. You can even try with the Timorous Beastie whisky.

Also Read: Pina Colada Cocktail

How to make a Whiskey Sour Cocktail

Whisky Sour Ingredients 

• 60 ml bourbon or whisky of you choice
• 20 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 20 ml simple syrup
• Ice
• 15 ml egg white (optional)
• Slice of lemon for garnish

Method

• Add bourbon or whisky, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white (if using) to a shaker and shake well for 30 seconds without ice.
• Add ice and shake again until well-chilled.
• Strain into a rocks glass.

Also Read: Aperol Spritz Cocktail

Today I look at how to make an Aperol Spritz cocktail; the coral-hued pre-dinner cocktail that reminds you of sunsets over Amalif. Or in my case, the beautiful Mauritian sunsets.

Aperol was created in Padua by Luigi and Silvio Barbieri in 1919. It has a bittersweet flavour with aromatic botanicals and a light alcohol content (around 11- 15% depending on where you live in the world). It is an amaro type of beverage similar to Campari.

Also Read: Mint Julep Cocktail

The concept of Spritz comes from Austria and started when the Austrians found the northern Italian white wines too acidic and strong for their taste and would ask for a spritzen of water to make it more drinkable.

The Aperol Spritz has been enjoyed in Italy for many years, but it is only in the last decade or so that its popularity became global. According to bartenders, the Aperol Spritz was one of the most requested cocktails during 2022.

What is the difference between Aperol and Campari?

Campari and Aperol both are a bitter red(ish) type of spirit and they are interchangeable. However, Aperol is softer, slightly sweeter, with a slightly lower alcohol content when compared to Campari. Aperol is also an ingredient in a Paper plane cocktail.

Campari is darker in colour and more intense and bitter with a higher alcohol content. It contains hints of rhubarb, berries, and a floral bouquet of unspecified herbs. Campari is a key ingredient in a well made negroni cocktail.

Aperol Spritz Cocktail Ingredients

This is a cocktail you can make easily at home. It only has 5 ingredients with no complex mixing or shaking.

1. Aperol

Only the real thing makes an Aperol spritz. Aperol is an Italian bitter apéritif with flavours of rhubarb, gentian and cinchona flowers. It has a vibrant coral colour. Aperol retail for around £13.00 on Amazon and is readily available. 

2. Prosecco

Prosecco is a sparking white wine made in Italy. It must contain at least 85% of Glera grapes for it to be classified as Prosecco. Other grapes such as Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio can be blended with the Glera grapes, but these non-Glera grapes can’t make up more than 15% of the blend.

Look for an Extra Dry Prosecco as it has a nice level of sweetness to balance out the Aperol. If you don’t have real Prosecco, any good quality sparking wine will do.

3. Club soda or sparkling water

Any unflavored sparkling water will work well.

4. Slice of fresh orange

A slice of orange slice is the classic garnish for an Aperol spritz.

5. Ice

Diluting the spritz with a few ice cubes makes it perfect for hot summer afternoons.

The general ratio is equal parts Aperol and Prosecco plus a splash of sparkling water. However, I prefer a slightly sweeter spritz, so I add a bit more Prosecco than Aperol. This balances the Aperol bitterness and makes it less bitter.

Also Read: Martini Cocktail

Aperol Spritz Recipe

INGREDIENTS

Per cocktail

• 2 parts Aperol
• 3 parts Prosecco
• 1 part club soda or unflavored sparkling water
• Orange slice, for garnish
• Ice

INSTRUCTIONS

• Add some ice to a wine glass. Pour in the Aperol and Prosecco.
• Top your cocktail off with a splash of sparking water and add a slice of orange.

Perfect for late afternoon’s on the patio watching the sun go down over the Indian ocean.  Aperol Spritz pairs well with olives, saucisson, freshly made hummus and crackers.

Also Read: Maker’s Mark vs Maker’s 46 Bourbon

January and February are the hottest months on the island. The average temperature in Mauritius is around 32C with 75% humidity. In between the occasional tropical storm, this time of the year is hot and sticky.

To stay hydrated and cool down, I turn to ice-cold cocktails. The easiest and probably one of the best-known cocktails is the mint julep cocktail and it is perfect for this hot weather.

The recipe for a julep cocktail is essentially a drink with a sweet portion (a simple syrup) and a herb element mixed with an alcohol base and ice. Many herbs can be used including lavender and basil, but the best-known version of the julep is the mint julep.

Also Read: Aperol Spritz Cocktail

Mint and its many species (think spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint) grow on nearly all continents. Greek mythology refers to mint and it has been part of middle eastern cooking and tea culture for hundreds of years.

The mist julep became famous in its current form in 1939 as it became the cocktail recipe associated with the Kentucky Derby. It has been part of Southern-style food culture for far longer. Variations similar to a mint julep recipe were mentioned in plays and medical literature from the 1770s. The variations included brandy, gin, and rum-based versions.

Best Whiskey or Whisky to use

Today, thanks to the Kentucky Derby, the spirit of choice is bourbon. But the mint julep recipe work just as well with Scottish single malt whisky, Irish pot still whiskey, or your blended whisky of choice.

Because the whisky or the whiskey is the star of the show, you don’t want to use your cheaper whisky. Those are great when mixed with a stronger mixer where the whisky is not the main attraction.

You want to use a delicious dram that will stand up to the mint oils and the simple syrup. A bourbon would work very well with the most obvious choice being a Woodford Reserve. But a Maker’s Mark or a Blanton’s bourbon will also work.

When looking at Scottish whisky, I would steer clear of the peaty Islay drams. Instead, I will probably choose a sweeter whisky from Speyside. However, nothing too heavily influenced by aging in sherry casks.

Good options include the Glen Grant 10 yo, the Glen Moray whisky, Cardu 12 yo whisky or perhaps a Rhino whisky which is from an undisclosed Speyside distillery.

Even a good blend such as a Dewars 12 yo, Ballantine’s 12 yo, or a Black bottle whisky or a blended malt such as a Monkey Shoulder whisky.

Things to Remember

Traditionally, mint juleps were served in silver or pewter cups (julep cups). The cups were filled to the brim with chipped ice, which in this humid island weather makes a welcome relief from the heat of Mauritius.

It is important to take care of the mint and not to bruise it too much. Too much muddling will release too much mint oil which can create a bitter taste. You also need to balance the simple syrup portion carefully not to make it too sweet.

I have seen recipe suggestions where you rub your glass with some mint leaves. That can help to create the mint balance without getting too bitter.

Remember a straw. You drink a mint julep from the bottom as the lovely bourbon sits under all the ice. Don’t try to sip it like a standard drink, all you will get is ice.

Also Read: Mojito Cocktail

My Best Mint Julep Cocktail Recipe

• 2 oz bourbon or whisky
• 8 mint leaves plus extra sprigs for garnish
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• Crushed ice
• Straw

In a chilled glass, lightly muddle the mint leaves and the simple syrup. Add the bourbon. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Using a tall spoon, stir gently and top up with ice if needed. Garnish with the extra sprig of mint and add the straw.

I have seen mint julep recipes where Angostura bitters is used as a garnish on top of the crushed ice. (optional)