Ingredients
- 50 ml Scotch Whiskey
- 20 ml Lime Juice
- 12-16 Mint Leaves
- 12.5 ml Honey
- Ginger Ale
Instructions
Build the Base:
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the Scotch whiskey, lime juice, mint leaves, and honey.
- Muddle the mint leaves to release their oils and ensure the honey combines and softens with the other ingredients.
Add Ice:
- Add crushed ice to the shaker and mix gently to combine all the flavors.
Serve:
- Pour the mixture into your cocktail glass, ensuring to include the mint leaves and ice.
- Top off with ginger ale for a refreshing finish.
Notes
- Mint Leaves: Muddle the mint leaves gently to release their essential oils without tearing them too much.
- Honey: Ensure the honey is fully combined for a smooth and sweet flavor.
- Scotch: Use a good quality Scotch whiskey to enhance the overall taste of the cocktail.
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
This isn’t a cocktail with a storied past from a Prohibition-era speakeasy. The Hive Five Mojito is a modern creation, clearly a riff on the classic Mojito. It likely emerged from a bar program looking to put a new spin on a popular template, swapping out rum for whiskey and playing with the sweetener and lengthener.
It sits squarely in the Mojito family, though it shares DNA with the Whiskey Smash. While a classic Mojito uses rum, lime, mint, sugar, and soda, and a Smash uses whiskey, lemon, sugar, and mint, the Hive Five Mojito uses Scotch, lime, mint, honey, and ginger ale. This blend offers a unique profile that’s both familiar and distinct from its cousins.
You’d find a drink like this in a contemporary cocktail bar that values creative reinterpretations of classics, or at a home bar when you’re aiming to impress guests with something a little different. It’s a solid choice for a patio drink or a casual evening gathering, especially if people are open to whiskey beyond the usual Old Fashioned.
What it tastes like
From the first sip, you get a bright hit of fresh mint and tart lime. This quickly gives way to the malty, slightly smoky notes of Scotch, softened by the rich sweetness of honey. The finish is clean and spicy, thanks to the ginger ale, which adds a lingering warmth and effervescence, tying all the flavors together in a refreshing way.
Using 50 ml of 40% ABV Scotch, you’re looking at about 20 ml of pure alcohol. When topped with ginger ale in a typical highball glass, the total volume could be around 200 ml. This puts the drink’s ABV at roughly 10%, making it considerably lighter than a spirit-forward cocktail like a Negroni, but a bit stronger than a standard beer. It's a sessionable drink that doesn’t hit too hard.
The technique
Building this drink starts in the shaker. Combine the Scotch, lime juice, mint leaves, and honey. The key here is to muddle gently. You want to release the mint oils and help the honey dissolve, not pulverize the leaves. Once that’s done, add crushed ice to the shaker and give it a quick, gentle stir to chill and combine. Then, pour the entire contents, including the muddled mint and ice, into your serving glass. Finish it off with a generous top of ginger ale.
The one technique tip that matters most for any muddled drink is the gentle touch on the mint. Muddle just enough to bruise the leaves and release their aromatic oils. Over-muddling will extract bitter chlorophyll from the mint, giving your drink an unpleasant grassy flavor that no amount of honey or Scotch can fix. Less is more when it comes to mint.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
Scotch Whiskey
- Use
- A good quality blended Scotch like Monkey Shoulder or Johnnie Walker Black Label works well. Lighter single malts, such as Auchentoshan or a Speyside without heavy sherry influence, are also solid choices. Aim for something with character but not an overpowering peatiness.
- Skip
- Heavily peated Islay malts like Laphroaig or Ardbeg. While fantastic on their own, their intense smoky profiles will dominate the drink and clash with the mint, lime, and honey, turning it into a muddled mess.
- Why
- Scotch is the backbone of this drink, distinguishing it from a standard Mojito. It provides a unique depth, a malty richness, and a hint of smoke that plays against the brightness of the mint and lime, creating a more complex flavor profile.
Honey
- Use
- A lighter, runny honey like clover or acacia is ideal. It dissolves easily and offers a delicate sweetness that complements the other ingredients without overwhelming them.
- Skip
- Very thick, crystallized honey or strong, dark varieties like buckwheat honey. Thick honey will be difficult to incorporate smoothly, and robust honeys can introduce flavors that compete too much with the Scotch and mint.
- Why
- Honey provides the primary sweetness and contributes a unique mouthfeel that simple syrup can’t replicate. Its floral and rich notes add another layer of complexity, making the drink feel more luxurious and well-rounded than a simple sugar solution would.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
Rum Mojito
- The classic inspiration.
- Swap the Scotch for 60 ml of white rum, use 15 ml of simple syrup instead of honey, and top with soda water for the original Cuban classic.
Whiskey Smash
- A close cousin with bourbon.
- Substitute the Scotch with bourbon, use simple syrup for sweetness, and muddle lemon wedges instead of just lime juice. Omit the ginger ale for a more spirit-forward experience.
Gin Basil Smash
- Herbaceous and bright.
- Swap the Scotch for gin, replace mint with fresh basil leaves, and use simple syrup for sweetness. Keep the lime juice and top with soda water or serve it up for a different herbaceous profile.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Bourbon or Irish Whiskey can stand in, offering a different but still whiskey-based profile. Bourbon will be sweeter, Irish whiskey smoother.
Simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water) is a fine substitute. Start with 10-15 ml and adjust to your preferred sweetness.
Ginger beer will add a spicier kick, or use plain soda water for a less sweet, more classic Mojito finish.
A sturdy jar with a tight-fitting lid works in a pinch for muddling and shaking. Just be sure it seals well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Hive Five Mojito?
A Hive Five Mojito contains Scotch whiskey, fresh lime juice, mint leaves, honey, and it’s topped with ginger ale.
Is a Hive Five Mojito strong?
It’s a relatively light cocktail, typically around 10% ABV, making it less potent than most spirit-forward drinks but a bit stronger than a standard beer.
What kind of Scotch should I use?
A blended Scotch or a lighter single malt is recommended. Avoid heavily peated varieties, as they will overpower the delicate mint and honey notes.
Can I make this with bourbon?
Yes, substituting bourbon for Scotch will give you a drink closer to a Whiskey Smash, but it will still be a refreshing and flavorful option.
Why use honey instead of sugar?
Honey provides a unique depth of sweetness and a richer mouthfeel compared to simple syrup, adding complexity to the drink’s profile.
How do I keep the mint from getting bitter?
Muddle the mint gently. You only need to bruise the leaves to release their oils, not pulverize them, which can extract bitter chlorophyll.
What glass should I serve it in?
A highball glass is the traditional and ideal choice for serving a long drink like the Hive Five Mojito.
Can I make a batch ahead of time?
You can combine the Scotch, lime juice, mint, and honey ahead of time. Muddle just before serving, then add ice and top with ginger ale for freshness.
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