What were we doing at a pub on a Sunday afternoon? Well let me reassure you that, contrary to popular belief, I am not a raging alcoholic. But on hearing that I had never sampled what he called the most “refreshing cocktail ever”, my mate insisted that we make the journey to town and (in true Aussie tradition), drink the Sunday afternoon away.

I however was skeptical. Being a lover of the classic margarita, I doubted that any other cocktail could replace it at the top of my drinks list. But the aforementioned mate insisted, and I relented to try this wondrous drink.

For those of you who may not know, a Mojito (mo-hi-to) is considered a summer drink. A refreshing blend of lime, mint, sugar combined with a generous pour of white rum, the mojito is the ideal way to kick back on a lazy afternoon while lounging in the sun… but don’t be fooled by it’s innocent taste. This is one of those cocktails that sneak up and hit you when least expected – especially since the lime and sugar mask the flavour of the potent rum.

When preparing a mojito, lime juice is added to sugar and mint leaves. The mixture is then gently mashed with a muddler. The mint leaves should only be carefully bruised though… you want to release the flavours, not shred the leaves.

Then the rum is added and the mixture is briefly stirred to dissolve the sugar and to lift the mint sprigs up from the bottom for better presentation. Finally, the drink is topped with ice cubes and sparkling water. Mint leaves and lime wedges are used to garnish the glass.

The wealth of flavours that capture you as you sip that first drink is indescribable. The lime adds a light tangy twist, while the mint adds a richness to complement the rum.

The mojito was clearly aimed to give people the perfect alcoholic way to beat at hot summer day. Refreshing and intoxicating, this cocktail is simply perfect for that lazy afternoon brunch, or to watch that sun set.

My humble verdict?: While it doesn’t technically beat the margarita as the king of cocktails, the mojito is probably the most refreshing drink I’ve had in a long time. Following the first try, this humble cocktail became a firm favourite of mine (much to the amusement of my aforementioned good friend).

Try it… many bars around Colombo are familiar with this one… it is fairly simple and uncomplicated, and hard to get wrong… just ensure that they don’t massacre the mint leaves.