Mojito local tropical ingredients: lime, sugarcane juice, and mint. Lime juice on its own would have significantly prevented scurvy and dysentery, and tafia/rum was soon added as it became widely available to the British (ca. 1650). Mint, lime and sugar were also helpful in hiding the harsh taste of this spirit. While this drink was not called a Mojito at this time, it was the original combination of these ingredients. Some historians contend that African slaves who worked in the Cuban sugar cane fields during the 19th century were instrumental in the cocktail's origin. Guarapo, the sugar cane juice often used
Planter's Punch least, so they say in Jamaica.</poem> Planter's Punch Planter's Punch is an IBA Official Cocktail made of dark rum, several juices, grenadine syrup, sugar syrup, and Angostura bitters. The cocktail has been said to have originated at the Planters Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina. The September 1878 issue of the London magazine "Fun" listed the recipe as follows: <poem>A wine-glass with lemon juice fill, Of sugar the same glass fill twice Then rub them together until The mixture looks smooth, soft, and nice. Of rum then three wine glasses add, And four of cold water please take. A Drink then