The Cool of Key West Winter Evenings

     Winter in Key West is marked by short days and chilly evenings.  The blues of winter can be just as exciting and the bright colors of summer.  I just enjoy watching the day turn into evening even in the winter.  I love having the foliage still on the trees as well, the bare sticks in the north for me can be a bit depressing and colorless.  ;o)

Back Home in the Warm

     After a three day journey to the north for a business trip it is really great to be home again in the warmth of Key West.   Even though the highs were in the fifties, the lows were in the thirties.   I can live with high fifties as a night time low, but as a daytime high, that is a little rough on these aging joints.  

     You don't really appreciate the tropics until you get away from them for a few days in the winter time.   It is funny that there are afternoons when the sun goes down that we run for some pretty heavy jackets to keep warm, but it is a rare day that I can't walk out in a t shirt and shorts when the sun is up.

     I really do feel for you guys in the northern tiers of this world in the winter time.  I really wish more of the world was like the tropics, I'd probably be more inclined to visit them more often.  The funny thing is  that when I lived in this area for some 16 years, it didn't really bother me that much.  I guess that it is really a case of perception.  

     Age and treachery usually wins out over youth and enthusiasm, and with age comes stiffer joints and the warm really makes everything feel so much better.   No matter how you look at it today I'm really glad to be back home in Key West.   ;o) 

Rum is Maiking Inroads into the Scotch Catagory Sales

     Rum is starting to make some inroads into the sales of Scotch worldwide.  It seems that the premiunization of the rum category is starting to pay some dividends.   Scotch drinkers could be turning specifically to dark rum especially the expressions that have undergone a premiumization the  
 
 
recent years.    “One category that appears set to capture a share from Scotch is dark rum.”   “High-quality aged sipping rums are winning over consumers in the UK, Benelux, France, the Nordics and Eastern Europe as they look to change up Scotch or gin consumption on the back of the current premiumization trend.

     This is good news for the rum category as a whole, especially with the money and effort that is being spent to bring the quality level of the category up to its competitors.   For to many years, the category was known for its white unaged and sugared and flavored expressions, but today the public is starting to appreciate the quality of the dark aged rums offer and beginning to switch to these expressions.

     I have found it fairly easy to get bourbon and scotch drinkers to try many of the higher end rums that share notes of bourbon or scotch from their aging processes.  Bourbon drinkers find rums like Zafra, a 21 year old expression of rum master Don Pancho Fernandez in Panama, will get their attention and usually turn their heads and find themselves asking for it again.   Diplomatico from Venezuela, Doorly's XO from Barbados, Plantation from France and El Dorado from Guyana also have the same effect on many of my customers.

    While there is a serious growth from the ultra-premium expressions, the basic rums like Bacardi and aptain Morgan and showing growth at the same time.  The Category is doing very well as a whole.  Its growth is a slow and steady on and not just a "flash in the pan" growth that like most fads doesn't last.

Flight Delay!!!

     There are a lot of things that we usually assume to be because that is just how it happens most of the time.  Once in a while because of things that happen elsewhere our world is DELAYED!!!  Today is just one of those days where the ice and snow in Connecticut has delayed the departure of the plane, meaning it, will be late arriving in Charlotte, causing us to be an hour plus late in our arrival into Key West.  The domino effect, which brings me to the point of this story.

     We are always looking for the cause or someone to blame for our problems, when we should be looking for ways to fix that problem.  Ranting and raving about being delayed because of bad weather in Connecticut will not get you home any sooner, plus it would be a lot easier on the rest of us not having to listen to all of that noise.   By spending my time during the delay writing this blog will in effect give me that hour back when I do get home.

     I love all the noise that people in the airports make when things don't go their way, if as much effort would be spent fixing the problems caused by a delay, life would be so much better for all involved.   There is nothing that can be done to bring the plane on line any sooner, but you have the option of spending the delay time in a productive way instead of screaming, their problems would be so much easier to solve.  Remember that you have little or no control over these delays, but you do have control of your mind and your ability to make better use of these times instead of making those around you miserable just because you didn't get your way.

     This delay is just about over, the ticket agent has just called the flight and I got this blog written with time to spare.  Just think, I don't have to worry about it when I get home because I used this delay time in a useful way.  ;o)

There is a "Wee World" Out There

     Isn't it interesting as we walk around all of these places and all that we see is the big stuff.  It seems that we rarely look closer at the place and see all of the colorful and interesting little things that surround us.  I was walking around the park at Bahia Honda the other day and I found myself looking at butterflies, flowers and little birds rather that at the ocean, the bridge and the really "spectacular" stuff. 

     What I found was a very small and wonderfully colorful world  that is right in front of me at a much smaller level.  The little flowers, colorful and very delicate just sitting there waiting for someone to notice them.  Then I was surrounded by butterflies and little birds.  All this while wandering through a holler of interesting bushes and flowers.

     It never ceases to amaze me what you can see is you slow down a bit and open your eyes.  A second look is you will at what you thought you saw in your first glance.  There are so many little things out there that are so worth while seeing.  Take the time to look closely, the sights are so rewarding when you finally notice them.  ;o)

Toasted Coconut

     When I was introduced to the Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum, I fell in love with its flavor right out of the bottle neat.   I've been trying to come up with something to put it with that would be a cocktail that would showcase the rum and not bury it in other flavors.   I tried several mixes with fruit juices and other things, but they were just lacking something. 

     I took to the idea of a smoothie style of cocktail and I researched what went well with coconut and found several things that I could work with and came up with this idea.  I hope you enjoy it.

Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Smoothie

• 2 oz. Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum
• 1/4 Cup of Pineapple Chunks
• 1/2 Fresh Banana
• 2 oz. Orange Juice
• 3/4 oz. Orgeat

Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into a 16 oz. Glass and top with a float of Toasted Coconut Rum and fresh ground nutmeg.

Havana Club 7 Year: Big Throughout the Latin Countries

     Havana Club 7 Year Old rum is pushing it's strong appeal across the Latin American countries with a strong success rate throughout the region.  In the Latin world, there is very little white rum consumed, but rather an emphasis of the aged rums all of the way through the ultra-premium expressions.   I really have to agree, the value for your dollar spent is good.  Havana Club 7 to me anyway is the finest of those currently produced by the brand.  In the past their "Barrel Proof" was my favorite, but today I have to stand behind the Havana Club 7 Year old.

     It is felt that the Bacardi brand is seen as a white spirit in the region, but there is hardly  any white rum at all sold in South America, where they basically start with Especial and look to the better rums from there.   There is a serious focus is Havana Club 7 now, it is sold in Mexico where it is competitive at the same price point as 12-year-old Scotch.  Havana Club has taken a deliberate super-premium strategy, that seems to be paying off well for the brand.

     In Havana Club's homeland of Cuba, they sell one million cases a year, which is about 60% of this quality rum bottled produced each year.   Havana Club’s Cuban roots give the brand its strong Latin appeal that resonates across the entire region.   Havana Club is also strong in markets like Argentina, Colombia and Peru.  Havana Club 7 Year is a super-premium rum that can also play to the values of Latin Americans.

     I think that this is a brand and an expression that will soon be here in America in the next few years and be very competitive in this market.  The iconic brand that has been envisioned as the "holy grail" of rums, mostly because of its unobtainable status will be on many rum drinker's list of most desired rums.  The strength in the Latin world and the strong Latin population here in America will help propel this brand when it finally arrives in the United States.  ;o)

Pelican Life

    
Pelicans have returned to the to the Keys for the winter.  This can be a blessing and a curse, but they are very much a part of the water life of the Keys.  The are fun to watch when they are out of the marinas scavenging.  The are very artful raiders of fish from the sky, but to many have become scavengers of the scraps of the fishermen hanging around the fish cleaning tables of the marinas.  This leads to them perching on boats and leaving the tell tale trail of "Pelican Poop".  Never the less, they are unique and pretty birds that always interest me as they fly in ground effects over the water.

Do We Really Need Alcohol in Order to Relax?

    I read an article about a study in Scotland and it really makes me wonder about this.  I know that I
really enjoy jumping into the dinghy after work and heading over to the Hurricane Hole for a couple of cocktails, but I sometimes wonder if it is really necessary for me to chill out after work?   I do know that it is really about hanging out with a lot of friends that also enjoy getting together for a few cocktails and conversation, but I really don't know one way or the other if the alcohol is a necessity.

 

    It comes in light of a new study, Transformation and time-out: the role of alcohol in identity construction among Scottish women in early midlife, which concluded women in their thirties and forties use alcohol as a means to look beyond their everyday roles and responsibilities.  As such, drug and alcohol misuse experts claim alcohol advertising has effectively linked booze to “reward and relaxation”.

     “While recognizing that many people enjoy relaxing with a drink, we need to be wary that images portrayed in the media and entertainment industry do not make alcohol seem essential to relaxation and enjoyment in today’s culture for women in midlife, or indeed for people at any stage of life.”

 

     This really makes me wonder about the power that advertising has on our daily lives and if we really have any control over what we do or does the media really control our daily actions, needs and beliefs?  You can read more about the subject at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/01/alcohol-seen-as-essential-for-relaxation/  Then please make your own decision.  ;o)

 

 

 

  

T. Rutter Rum from Pennsylavia

    T. Rutter Rum is a very interesting unaged white rum created on the banks of an 18.2-mile-long tributary of the mighty Schuylkill River that cuts through the countryside and has become home to a winery, a brewery and, now, a distillery.  Manatawny was named by the Lenape Indians, Man'en'tau'wata'wik, "the place we meet to drink," and it means the same to us today.

     This is an unaged white rum that has been double distilled rum that has notes of an agricole style rum.  It is a very clean rum and works very well with Barritt's Ginger Beer for me,  I feel like that now matter what you mix it with you will enjoy it.  It is a clean well crafted small batch rum that makes a tasty cocktail that doesn't over power the taste of the cocktail.


     The Manatawny Still Works also produces Whiskey , Vodka and on the horizon is a new Gin expression ahead.  Manatawny Still Works was developed to produce world class spirits with character in small batches. The distillery is modern, but the practices are based on old world production with a reverent nod to the history of the region.  

     This distillery in Pottstown, Pennsylvania has regular hours for you to visit the distillery and an opportunity to purchase T Rutter Rum. You can find Manatawny Still Works on line at http://manatawnystillworks.com/about_manatawnystillworks.php

Rusults from the Brand Report

You could flip a coin – each year since we’ve been polling the world’s best bars, the champion rum has been either Havana Club or Bacardi. 

     Havana Club fell face up this year, with 27% of polled bars attesting to its selling power.  Havana Club is a marketer’s dream and nightmare – authenticity but half-owned by the Castros.   Pernod has taken things slowly, building the brand in the right way – marketing the city of Havana and all that entails rather than just flogging rum.   Bacardi was the top seller in 18 of our polled bars. Respondents were about 50% European and 20% North American – in reverse, we may have seen Bacardi dominate, such is its status in the US.  Still, Bacardi has successfully diversified its image over recent years and has a powerful package to offer bars.

     At Schumann’s in Munich, you’re more likely to be served Bacardi 8 than any other rum and at A for Athens, they told us their “primary deal” is with Bacardi, a “value-for-money choice” with product quality “above average”.  The American Bar is the Bacardi bar when it comes to most house pours. The brand’s global cocktail competition, Bacardi Legacy, is second only to Diageo’s World Class and is an effective recruiting tool for its flagship rum.  

     Plantation makes its debut in the Best Selling list this year. In previous Brands Reports it wasn’t the bestselling rum in any of our bars – now it is top in 15 of our 100.   Its owner, Cognac Ferrand, had a good 2014 and it seems its blended island rums and vintages are offering the bar market something different. 

Diplomatico, a sweeter Spanish style in the mold of Botran and Zacapa, has made a beeline for bartenders.  Spearheaded by its World Tournament bartending competition, which debuted in 2013, the Venezuelan rum is the best seller of its category at Edinburgh’s Bramble, 28 Hong Kong Street in Singapore and the Lui Bar in Melbourne, but its greater feat is shown in the trending chart – 15% of bars polled said it was the hot rum among punters.  Diplomatico, though, takes second place to Zacapa in the trending list.

Diageo was one of the first to go ‘super-premium’ with rum – a phrase previously reserved for other categories – and bartenders have long been convinced.  Topping the Trending charts means consumers in the world’s best bars are too.
Read More at http://www.drinksint.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/5079/Brands_Report_2015:_Rum.html

Rums of the "Spanish Style" of Rum Making

Mixability is helping the Spanish-style spirit to a renaissance. Lucy Britner explores the background

     Spanish Settlers brought with them to rum’s heartland their knowledge and love of brandy and sherry. So rum-making Spanish style is sometimes influenced by the solera system of maturation. It is also largely centred around South and Central America. 

     Diplomatico marketing manager Javier Herrera Toral describes Spanish-style rum as ‘smooth’. He adds: “Basically, most of the rums with this origin are easy-going, with a smooth palate and are easy to sip.”

     Several places are important to the history of Spanish-style rums, which came into their own in the 19th and 20th centuries. Spaniard Don Juan Serrallés imported a still to Puerto Rico in 1865 and Spanish drinkers back home enjoyed the Rom Barrilito brand, as did some Americans. The commercial stage was set, though some boast production before 1865. 

     Venezuela is a key country for Spanish-style rums and Santa Teresa claims to be the oldest rum brand registered there – its 1796 expression carries the year of the hacienda’s incorporation. 1796 makes use of the solera system and today the company also has a social program called Project Alcatraz that aims to rehabilitate gangland criminals. 

     Diageo looks after two Venezuelan, non-solera rums – Cacique and Pampero.   Cacique – meaning ‘chief of the tribe’ in Spanish – has been around since 1959.   Pampero is slightly older, having been launched in 1938.    Both count Venezuela and Spain as their key markets and Pampero is also big in Italy.   Also in Venezuela is Diplomatico, which doesn’t employ the solera system but does make use of Spanish drinking habits. 

     Toral says: “All the rums blended in Diplomatico are aged separately until they achieve their optimum age. The first ageing is always done in 180-litre American white oak barrels, which were used first to age bourbon or Scotch. Some of our rums are aged in a second stage in Spanish sherry and Pedro Ximenez barrels. Blending is the last stage.”

     Heading north, Nicaragua is home to Flor de Cana – Spanish for ‘sugar cane flower’. According to the brand, the first distillery was built at the San Antonio Sugar Mill in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, in 1890. In 1937, an independent company was founded within the plantation called Compañía Licorera de Nicaragua and it launched the brand Flor de Caña in that year. The company describes its ageing process as a “unique slow-ageing method” in American oak barrels and the brand does not use the solera system. In summer last year, the brand revamped its packaging to pay closer attention to its heritage and age statements. 

     Further north, Guatemala was better known for coffee until commercial distillers became established in about 1914. The 20th century also saw the creation of Industria Licoreras de Guatamala, the company which makes the Botran brand and Diageo joint venture Zacapa. It’s a massive operation. Zacapa is known for its maturation at high altitude in what is called the House Above the Clouds and the solera system is employed, creating a blend of old and new rums in the same way that many Spanish brandies are produced.

 

 

 

   With his eye on the prize, Spanish emigrant Don Facundo Bacardi bought a distillery in Santiago (Cuba) in 1862. He was the pioneer of dry, light Cuban rum. In the words of Dave Broom: “You could call it a Spanish style – but I wouldn’t advise it in front of a Cuban distiller”,  Wise words. Havana Club set up shop in 1878 and the rest, as they say, is history.

http://www.drinksint.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/4502/Rum_Report:_The_Spanish_Style.html?current_page=1

Francisco "Don Pancho" Fernandez

     One modern master of the Spanish style of rum is Francisco "Don Pancho" Fernandez.  His history of rum making in Cuba with Havana Club, Abuelo Rums, and on his own rums working with Carlos E. Esquivel G. at their Pilsa Distillery in Panama.  "Don Pancho" makes his rums in the true Spanish style and his newest expression "Origines" are an expression of his  lifelong belief in true rums of the Spanish heritage.

    The Spanish style of rum making is one that has a long history and provides the world with a true rum that stands alone without additives and the flavor of the rum comes directly  from the skills of the distillers and the blenders.  ;o)

 

 

 

Football has the Smoltz to Sell Adult Beverages at the Championships

     I find this article to be very interesting, in that when the control of the championships is taken away from the NCAA, the profits from sales of adult beverages is allowed and that always leads to higher profits of the organizers.   This is a very interesting article that kind of makes this very clear.

     Spectators at the men's basketball Final Four last April at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex., could buy burgers, sodas and even Texas-shaped waffles. But they could not buy alcohol. The N.C.A.A. does not permit alcohol sales - or even its advertising - at the 89 championships it administers. 

     But on Monday night, about 80,000 fans will flock to the same stadium for the first College Football Playoff title game, between Oregon and Ohio State, and they will be able to select from an array of beer, wine and spirits. They can even order a Cowboyrita, the signature drink at the Dallas Cowboys' home field, made with 100 percent blue agave tequila. Alcohol was also sold at the six bowls affiliated with this season's inaugural playoffs. 

     Fans who care to imbibe can thank the powerful Football Bowl Subdivision, the only N.C.A.A.-sanctioned group whose championship is not governed by the N.C.A.A. It therefore essentially gets to play by its own rules. In recent years, the championship was conducted by the Bowl Championship Series, which also permitted the sale of alcohol.

 

Read more at  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/sports/ncaafootball/signs-of-college-footballs-clout-beer-sales-and-travel-aid-.html?_r=0

I hope this works out, because it could take some the financial weight of the football program off of the school and allow the playoffs to help support itself.   ;o)

January Beach Day at Bahia Honda State Park

     With all of the singe digit temperatures on the news today is sure nice to know that we have a place here in America immune from all of the snow and freezing weather.   Bahia Honda State park in the lower Florida Keys is such a place.   For the past few weeks I have hopped into the boat and "camped out" at Bahia Honda, enjoying the near 80 degree temperatures and the company of some good friends.  It is a wonderful place to go and decompress for a day or two and just relax is the quiet and beautiful surroundings.

     This past weekend, it was the beach that really surprised me.  The warmth down here for the past few weeks has brought the water temperatures back up to the mid seventy's making it very easy to get into the water again.   Taking long walks along the beach and listening to the waves roll in has a very nice therapeutic effect.  Watching the people frolic in the water and the just plain enjoyment of being able to do this in January is pretty spectacular.



     If you are among those that are snowed or frozen in right now, come along and enjoy my virtual
tour of Bahia Honda State Park Beach.  You can pretend that you too are here and walking the sands as the waves lap at your feet as you amble down the beach.  ;o)

Starting 2015 with a Beautiful Sundown from Key West

     The beauty of the evening looking out from my "back porch" never ceases to amaze me.  The colors of the sky along with the shadows of the sun low in the sky make for a spectacular 20 minutes each evening.  This is the time when I kick my feet up in the air and just let the world slip away,chilling out, letting the evening take over.

The Serious Problem of Binge Drinking Being Addressed

     Binge drinking here in America is becoming a serious problem affecting more that a few of the younger people.  There is a large group of people in the ages of 35 to 64 that live in the heart of America's populations that suffer from this alcohol poisoning regularly.  It is something that all of us consumers of alcoholic beverages should be aware of and avoid the pitfalls of binge drinking.  Below is an article from "The Spirit Business" that gives you an idea of the severity of this issue.

    According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the deaths are a result of binge drinking – drinking a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time – which can impact the brain, heart rate, breathing and body temperature.  The CDC’s Vital Signs report states that three in four deaths involve adults aged 35-64, and most deaths occur among men and non-Hispanic whites. However American Indians and Native Alaskans experience the most deaths from alcohol poisoning per million people.  More than 38 million US adults report binge drinking an average of four times per month and consume an average of eight drinks per binge drinking session. Binge drinking is defined as consuming four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men on one occasion.

     “Alcohol poisoning deaths are a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers of excessive alcohol use, which is a leading cause of preventable deaths in the US,” said CDC principal deputy director Ileana Arias.  “We need to implement effective programs and policies to prevent binge drinking and the many health and social harms that are related to it, including deaths from alcohol poisoning.”  The CDC also emphasized the wide differences in alcohol consumption between states, stating that while there are 46.5 deaths per million residents in Alaska as a result of excessive consumption, there are 5.3 per million in Alabama. The greatest number of deaths have occurred in the Great Plains, western United States, and New England.

     As part of the study, CDC scientists have analyzed deaths from alcohol poisoning among people aged 15 years and older using data from the National Vital Statistics System for 2010-2012. However, researchers emphasis that the report may not be conclusive, as alcohol-related deaths are often underreported.

Read More at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/01/six-us-adults-die-from-binge-drinking-every-day/?article-source=newsletter&source=334&date=2015-01-07

    

 

 

Sherry and Rum: New Cocktail Partners

     "Sherry is more than just your grandmother's drink for so long that the conceit itself seems old enough to be your grandmother. And yes, the fortified wine-made from grapes grown in Andalusia, Spain, and allowed to mature in a series of oak casks-has, over the last several years, entered heavy rotation among bartenders with a sense of history and a taste for well-aged ingredients. Yet, in the hearts and on the home bars of a large number of their customers, Sherry has yet to regain a foothold. "

     There is a reluctance due to the misperception that all Sherries are sweet, but this is not so.  There are only a few of the wide range of styles that are actually sweet.    For mixing, Sherries that come from the dryer end of the spectrum mix well.   For many years now, rums have been aged in portion in the sherry barrels from Don Pablo Pedro Ximenez, although this is one of the sweeter Sherries, the idea for mixing sherry with rum seems like a viable idea.   The dry Sherries have a natural, but subtle sweetness from their aging process that make the mixing with rum work out so well.

 

Bahama Bob’s Dry Sherry Daiquiri

·         2 ½ oz. Matusalem Platino Rum

·         ¾  oz. Dry Sherry

·         Juice of a Half Lime

 

Place all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice cubes and shake until chilled, strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wedge. 

     I really like the way that the rum and the dry sherry play very well together in the daiquiri.  This is a dry daiquiri that gives you a full bodied blend of flavors that both the sherry and the rum contribute to.   If you need a bit of a sweeter cocktail you can add a sweetener to the mix.  This is my first exploration into the blending of Sherry and Rum, but I feel like there is a real good series of cocktails that can come out of this latest Rum Lab experiments.  ;o)

What Cost Freedom?

Cuban Chug Lying Inverted on the Sand Bar

     Another little break from daily life in Key West at Bahia Honda State Park today.  Walking out to the beach brought me an image of a Cuban Chug upside down on the sand bar.   It brings to mind what does it take for the citizens of Cuba to jump aboard one of these 18 to 24 foot boats made up of scrap sheet metal, odd boards and cast off engines, props and steel rods and head across 90 to 120 mile wide Florida Straights?

The Bottom of the Crudely Constructed but Seaworthy Chug

    I travel around the keys in everything from my 11 foot dinghy to the 51 foot boat that I live on, but to head out on the ocean in the middle of winter where you could hit 20 foot seas, wind, rain and lightning, that is quite a different thing.   One has to be a strong desire in addition to fearing for their lives for these Cuban refugees to head out on such a perilous journey bring them to America.   It makes me wonder, if these people are willing to put their lives on the line to make the crossing in order to be here in a country that most of its citizens take their  freedom for granted.

The Gateway to Freedom for the Cuban Refugees

     I have seem many of these vessels throughout the keys from the Marquesa Keys all the way to Key Largo, but I guess that I will never know personally how bad things are in order for people to jump into one of these "chugs" and head out across the ocean to freedom.

The Mojito: A Cuban Classic

     The Mojito is traditionally a cocktail that consists of five basic ingredients: white rum, sugar,or sugar cane juice, lime juice, sparkling water, and mint.   The original Cuban recipe uses spearmint or yerba buena, a mint variety very popular on the island.   The Mojito is a combination of sweetness, refreshing citrus, and mint flavors is intended to complement the potent kick of the rum, and has made this clear highball a popular summer drink.  

     The History of the Mojito is one that has many origins, but they stay centered around the island of Cuba.  The most important this is that it is a Cuban cocktail that is really refreshing and very popular down here in the tropics.



Bahama Bob's Mojito

• 2oz. White Rum
• Juice of 1/2 Fresh Lime
• 3/4 oz. Sugar Cane Syrup
• Club Soda

     When preparing a Mojito, lime juice, sugar or cane syrup and mint leaves are placed in the a 12 oz. tumbler.   The mixture is then gently muddled  with a smooth wooden muddler, the mint leaves should only be bruised to release the essential oils and not be shredded.   Then ice and rum is added and the mixture is briefly shaken to blend and chill the mixture.   Finally, the drink is topped sparkling soda water and garnished with mint leaves and/or lime wedges.  The mojito is one of the most famous rum-based highballs.