When Swapping Rum For Vodka In Mojito Cocktails, Choose Crushed Ice Every Time
Behind every good glass of classic mojito is a dram of white rum. The subtle sweetness of the sugarcane-derived liquor blends perfectly with the herbaceous coolness of the mint, essentially giving you summer-in-a-glass from its pure refreshingness. But here's an idea that we think you should try if you love your mojito: Swap out the rum for vodka.
Now, we know what you're thinking — mojito without rum? As sacrilegious as that may sound, hear us out. When you combine all the typical mojito ingredients — fresh mint, tart lime juice, bubbly club soda, and maybe a touch of simple syrup — with high-quality vodka instead of rum, you get an ultra-smooth sipper. Top-shelf vodkas like Grey Goose deliver an almost silky texture when muddled with those bright, herbaceous flavors. The result is a mojito that goes down dangerously easy.
There's just one key tip to nailing this vodka mojito: Use plenty of crushed ice when stirring it up instead of the ice cubes in the classic recipe. Since vodka can taste a bit potent on its own, that finely cracked ice can help mellow and dilute the drink slightly as it chills.
Churn it a little bit
Most recipes will call for adding fresh mint leaves, simple syrup, and lime juice at the bottom of a glass, and then muddling it (though you can also skip this step if you don't want to muddle). Once you're done with this step, you'll get a very fragrant, strong-tasting mixture at the bottom. Pour in the vodka, and it'll mix beautifully with the liquor ... but not as well as if you also churn it up a little bit. Use a swizzle stick or a bar spoon to give it a good stir so that the mint and lime juice come together better with the vodka.
After you've topped it with crushed ice and soda, give it an extra stir so that the ice will evenly cool and dilute everything. This step won't just tone down the alcohol like we mentioned earlier, but you'll also get the benefit of a delightfully chilly drink, too.
All that's left to do after this step is garnish your vodka mojito with a sprig of fresh mint, and congrats! Kick back and take a sip; you've earned it!