Margarita or Mojito ?
The top questions people ask Mixologists about Margaritas !
Question: Is a margarita Strong ?
Answer: Yes ! If made correctly a margarita is pretty strong, our margarita comes in a 28% ABV and is certainly designed to be a slower sipper. If you are seeing a ready made margarita below 15% it's not really a Margarita I’m afraid, and if your canned margarita says 8%, it's basically a Seltzer !
Question: Where did the Margarita Come from ?
Answer: Ok so we get this one allot, and as with many cocktails there a varying origin stories, however the most popular and our favourite reads like a Shakespeare play with mistaken identities and making it up as you go !
The Margarita was invented at Tommys bar in Mexico (Picture below ). By a local barman, best known locally as Pancho (Full name Francisco Morales) in 1942.
The story goes, that a lady came in and ordered a drink, Pancho had never heard of it ! (Us mixologists like to save face whenever possible) so Pancho on the spot, chucked some lime juice, Tequila and Quantro into the shaker, not losing a beat and poured out the first ever margarita ! The lady loved it so the story goes (To this day no-one really knows what her original order actual was, but what a happy mistake, just like that with the help of a Mexican elbow and a loud bar, the margarita was born ! Thank you Pancho.
Margarita or Mojito ?
So I can’t tell you how many times we hear this debate with people at the bar or at our Craft Cocktail tasting events. Margarita or Mojito, Which cocktail is best ! Which should I have …. We are here to end the debate ! or sit on the fence a bit :/ !
The Margarita and mojito share lime as a main flavour, but if made correctly the similarities should end there !
The Margarita was invented in Mexico, thanks to a loud bar, and mixologist called Pancho and misheard order. Since then the classic has always been made (If done the right way !) With three simple ingredients. Lime Juice Tequila and Orange liqueur. A proper bar strength margarita shroud be between 25% and 28% ABV
The Mojito on the other hails from Cuba and is a rum based vs tequilas in the Margarita, It’s a longer drinker (not as strong and mixed with Soda water, Mojito roughly translates as wetter ! ) containing Rum, Muddled Mint (Much debate over this one again as to how much mint should be used) Sugar syrup and topped up with soda water La Bodeguita del medio” Havana, Cuba claims to be the origin, but the truth is, no-one really knows for sure.
The elements of the Mojito were all used in cuban medicine originally, thought to cure all sorts of problems from headaches (Ironically ! ) to malaria ! To be fair the blood alcohol level of some Mojito drinkers at the bar would easily dispatch even the hardiest of mosquitos, so there could be some truth it that one.
Either Way the debate between Margarita or Mojito will continue on, but it really depends what you are in the mood for. We would say the mojito is best served as a refreshing drink if you are a bit hot a bothered on the beach and wanting a more thirst quenching drink (Disclaimer both will actually dehydrate you eventually !) Where the Margarita is best served once you have retired to the cocktails bar, pre dinner, but you honestly can’t go wrong with either!