To Muddle Or Not Muddle Your Mint: That Is The Mojito Question - Chowhound

The reason why mint tastes so great to begin with is because of the essential oils it carries, like menthol and menthone. When you add whole leaves to your cocktail, a bit of that oil seeps out, giving it a subtle minty kick. But most of the flavor stays locked within the leaves. Crush them, though, and those oils spill out and provide extra flavor to whatever you add the mashed leaves to. (Try crushing a mint…