Dagon Berry Mojito Recipe

1. Cook the syrup

Combine 1 cup Dagon berries, 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat.

2. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently so the sugar dissolves and the berries begin to break down. Simmer for 6–8 minutes until berries are soft and the liquid is slightly reduced and deeply colored.

3. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lime zest. Let steep for 10 minutes to concentrate flavor.

4. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container, pressing on solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids (or reserve for another use). Allow syrup to cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator until cold. Yield: about 1¼ cups.

5. Prepare glasses: For 6 servings (large Collins glasses or highball), divide the mint leaves and roughly halve the lime juice. Place about 2 tablespoons (roughly 2–3 teaspoons) of the chilled Dagon berry syrup into the bottom of each glass (equivalent to total 0.75 cups across glasses).

6. Add to each glass: 2 tablespoons (about 1/8 cup) fresh lime juice, a generous pinch (about 10–12 leaves worth) of fresh mint leaves, and 3–4 whole Dagon berries for texture and garnish in the drink.

7. Lightly muddle the mint, berries and syrup together in each glass: press and twist with a muddler or the back of a spoon 4–6 times. The goal is to bruise the mint and release berry flavor without shredding the leaves into tiny pieces.

8. Add ice: Fill each glass about three-quarters full with crushed or cubed ice (about 2/3 to 3/4 of each glass).

9. Pour rum: Divide 2 cups white rum evenly among the 6 glasses (about 1/3 cup or 2.6 fl oz per glass).

10. Top with fizz: Gently top each glass with chilled club soda until nearly full (use the 2 cups club soda across all glasses). Stir gently once with a long spoon to combine — lift from bottom to top so the syrup is incorporated but the mint remains lightly distributed.

11. Garnish and serve: Add a lime wheel or wedge and a sprig of mint to each glass. Optionally slit and thread 1–2 extra Dagon berries onto a cocktail pick and rest across the rim. Serve immediately with a straw.

12. Variation and scaling notes: If making a single cocktail, use roughly 45–60 ml (1.5–2 oz) rum, 15–22 ml (0.5–0.75 oz) Dagon syrup, 15–22 ml fresh lime juice, 6–8 mint leaves, top with 60–90 ml club soda and ice. Adjust sweetness to taste.