Last weekend, I found myself digging through my parents’ old stash of cocktail recipe cards – a true time capsule of 1970s party culture. Wedged between a suspiciously stained Margarita card and my dad’s “famous” Harvey Wallbanger, there it was: a rumpled index card labeled “The Montana.” The ingredients made me laugh out loud: it was almost identical to a mojito, just with a more rugged-sounding name. Classic.
Of course I had to make one. And, of course, I had to call my mom to get the backstory. She just laughed and said, “Oh, I don’t remember! Your father or one of his friends probably renamed it during a barbecue.” No mention of its origins in fancy bar books either – believe me, I spent more time searching than I care to admit. My best guess? During Prohibition, bartenders got creative, rebranding familiar drinks for local flare. Or maybe it was all just family inside jokes.
Strength & Profile
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Whatever you call it, this cocktail is the taste of sunshine. Rum, mint, and lime are friends for a reason. It’s the kind of drink you want in hand when you’re eating something spicy, trying to impress the neighbors, or just hanging out on the porch, waving away mosquitoes.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces white rum
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice (about 1 juicy lime)
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 8–10 mint leaves, plus extra for garnish
- Club soda
- Plenty of ice
- Lime wheel for garnish (optional, but cute)
How to Make It
- Toss the mint leaves into the bottom of your favorite tall glass.
- Add the simple syrup. Then, muddle gently. Emphasis on gently: You want to bruise the leaves enough to release that minty aroma, not shred them into pulp. Trust me – I made the mistake of over-muddling once, and everyone was politely spitting mint flecks into napkins all night. Lesson learned!
- Squeeze in the lime juice. You’ll thank yourself for using fresh limes – those squeeze bottles from the store don’t do any cocktail favors.
- Add the rum, throw in a hefty handful of ice, and give it a little stir.
- Top with club soda. Garnish with extra mint and, if you’re feeling extra, a lime wheel.
Food pairing ideas? I love these alongside grilled fish tacos, or anything with a touch of spice. My neighbor Jim (who claims to be an “honorary bartender” after a single trip to Havana) swears by a splash of pineapple juice in his. Surprisingly, it works – tart and tropical. Try it if you’re ever in a tiki mood.
If you want to keep it booze-free, just leave out the rum. Add more club soda and an extra hit of lime. My sister experimented with a nonalcoholic one last summer when she was expecting, and honestly? We all ended up reaching for her mocktails, too.
The best part about this “Montana” is how forgiving it is. Too sweet? Squeeze in a little extra lime. Too tart? Slosh in more simple syrup. Once, I was out of syrup entirely and used honey – different, but totally delicious in its own right. Improvise and call it tradition.
So here’s my advice: stock up on mint, keep some rum and limes on hand, and don’t stress too much about the name. Call it a Montana, call it a mojito – just enjoy it with good company and maybe a backyard sunset. And if you come up with a better origin story, let me know. My family would love the update.
