Strawberry & Basil Mojito for a Thirsty Thursday!

This is, by far, the best mojito I ever had. Not only does this cocktail combine three ingredients that I definitely love: Ron de Venezuela ―rum from my home country―, strawberries, one of my favorite non tropical fruits, and basil, an herb that I could not live without. But it’s how the ingredients work together: fresh strawberries give this mojito its kind of guava bright pink color, while the hints of basil flavor surprise the palate, making it the perfect gourmet drink for spring and summer.

For taking the chance to make rum and strawberry work so well with basil, I’m going to tell you about Charlotte Voisey, the mixologist who created this superb drink. Convinced as I am, that it’s time for us drinkers and writers to honor mixologists and bartenders, because they are the ones making every hour a happy one, I’m honoring Charlotte.

She’s a super talented mixologist from London, who now lives in New York City, after working in Barcelona and Buenos Aires. In NYC, she manages the bar at Kenmare in Soho and she’s also William Grant & Sons USA mixologist, representing Hendrick’s gin.

In 2002, she opened Apartment 195 on the King’s Road in London. The same year this cocktail bar was named London’s Bar of the Year. She was also awarded UK Bartender of the Year in 2004. In 2006, she won the silver medal at the World Female Bartending Championship in Italy and in 2008 her ‘Punch & Judy’ was named cocktail of the year by a panel of judges and peers from Tales of the Cocktail.

Charlotte is part of a movement that changed the face of mixology in London. Her creations can be found in the menus of the best bars across the world. In 2005, while working in her home town, she created this Ron de Venezuela Strawberry and Basil Mojito, for which she used Santa Teresa Añejo (Ron Santa Teresa’s best seller Gran Reserva as it’s known in Venezuela).

Thanks to modern mixology it’s no longer a sin to use premium rums in cocktails. So, I chose Santa Teresa Selecto, an extra añejo rum, perfect to mix in cutting edge drinks. Selecto is the result of a careful blend of rums of up to 10 years of ageing that combines a unique smoothness along with a tasteful and exciting avant garde note. Its silky body arises from a blend of light and heavy rums. Ageing in white oak barrels gives this rum the splendor of its characteristic amber color.

The author used sugar, but I substituted it with Splenda and it works just perfectly! By the way, after I mixed it for the first time on May 2010, we planted six more basil plants just to be sure we would have a nice supply of basil leaves any time. Thank God we live in sunny Southern California.

Here is my Selecto and Splenda version of Charlotte Voisey’s Strawberry and Basil Mojito. Salud!

Strawberry and Basil Mojito
1½ oz of Ron de Venezuela Santa Teresa Selecto
4 tsp of Splenda
2 strawberries halved
6-8 leaves of basil
Club soda

In a boston, muddle very well all ingredients but the rum. Once the rum is added, shake with cubed ice and strain over into a highball glass filled with crushed ice. Top off with soda. Garnish with a basil leaf and a strawberry slice.

To print the recipe click here.