For better or worse, few spirits enjoy the legendary status of rum.

The subject of pirate tales and focus of temperance movement threats, it fueled the renewal of global trade in the age of discovery. New World dependence on African slave labor began with the growth of sugar cane, necessary for distilling the product. The rough-hewn drivers of NASCAR's early days often started as "rumrunners," carting rotgut from illegal stills. Unrepentant drunks, no matter their alcohol of choice, earned derision as "rummies."

Somewhere along the way, though, persons unknown poured demon rum over mashed mint and sugar, taming the beast. The bottles of Havana Club and Bacardi that now line just about every bar or restaurant shelf in Prague symbolize nothing more unseemly than an evening sipping cool, refreshing cocktails.

Mojitos have been good for rum, at least in the sense of mass appeal. On busy weekend nights, bartenders at Tretter's whip up at least 200 of the Cuban concoction, often more. During a recent visit to Bar and Books, a staff member from a nearby watering hole dropped by to say thanks for the loan of a canister of fresh mint the previous night. Even the guys at Kolkovna, the well-known beer destination, contend with 30 or 40 mojito orders every evening.

So despite an overall decline in spirit sales across the Czech Republic — and flat sales levels in the United States — rum continues to pick up ground. Bacardi Light ranks as the leading premium brand spirit in much of the Western world, with purchases of Havana Club jumping 11 percent in 2003 alone.

It's difficult to explain the staying power of this phenomenon. Club-hoppers are always looking for the next new thing, so hotspots and popular drinks tend to peak quickly then disappear. But Prague loves its mojitos.

"Rum doesn't have a specific taste," explains Václav Vidner of Tretter's, referring specifically to light rums. "It's like vodka; you can put it with everything."

Modern mixed drinks typically present a sweeter, less complex flavor profile than old-fashioned cocktails. Instead of featuring the smokiness of scotch or the pungent blast of hard-core dry gin, they are designed to mask the sting of alcohol. No need for drinkers to acquire a taste for whiskey or for bartenders to learn about the balance of different ingredients. Today's drinks are banal and sweet and easy for anyone to gulp down.

As an example, compare the mojito with an old-time favorite from the American South, the mint julep. Both cocktails have been around for some 300 years, and both depend on mint and sugar for a bright, crisp edge. The julep, however, substitutes a wicked belt of bourbon, and it stands out. Mojitos, on the other hand, fit in well with current rum trends. In addition, they appeal to both women and men — Hemingway reportedly chugged them — young and old.

Of course, the mojito's longevity could have more to do with the lemminglike impulse to fit in. As Vidner suggests, "Everybody drinks them because others are drinking them."

Most bartenders wish trendsetters would find something else to drink. The mojito is labor-intensive, involving crushed ice, pounding sugar and mint with a wooden stick (muddling), shaking with rum and so on. Honza Lacman, a bartender at Kolkovna, laughs when you mention mojitos and crowded bars in the same sentence. "It's too much work," he eventually moans.

Accomplished bartenders require at least a minute to muddle through — sorry — the process, which doesn't seem like much time until a table of 10 places their order, and there's a crush of people at the bar waiting their turn for a drink. Tretter's deals with the problem by dedicating one person to kick out nothing but mojitos, and prepping for the onslaught — just after the bar opens, tall glasses stuffed with mint are already lined up.

While there's a feeling of fait accompli about this, most bartenders, when pressed, will voice pretty much the same opinion. "Bartenders never drink them," Vidner finally admits. "They hate them."

Efforts are under way to wean the drinking public from this long-lasting popular whim. Tretter's is introducing other herbal alcoholic remedies, Bar and Books offers single-malt scotch tastings, and Sahara Café trots out an extensive drink list that includes a good old-school Manhattan. But at the moment, nothing is poised to take over the mojito's position as Prague's No. 1 cocktail.