The mojito, that seductive rum mint julep from Cuba, has taken over the cocktail scene (though technically, it's a highball, not a cocktail). So it was only a matter of time before those wily folk at Bacardi would come out with a pre-mixed version: the Bacardi Classic Cocktail Mojito.
How does it compare to the original tourist's drink at Havana's famed Bodeguita del Medio? It's surprisingly good. One does not expect pre-mixed drinks to be all that successful -- they tend to taste gummy and, well, packaged.
But the Bacardi mix tastes like a fresh mojito, and a good one at that. Of course, one has to add sparkling water, and the lack of floating mint leaves is disappointing. Plus, in the end, it's cloyingly sweet, but so is a made-from-scratch mojito.
The Bacardi mojito may not be as good as what the company's bartender mixes at Bacardi's executive dining room -- best mojito in town, alas, not for the public. But on a hot tropical afternoon, it will do.
-- ENRIQUE FERNANDEZ
• A 1.75-liter bottle of Bacardi Classic Cocktail Mojito is $19.99 at liquor stores.
