Tequila Cocktails

[Chris Amirault]

I've got a bottle of Sauza Añejo Commemorativo for mixing, and I've quickly grown bored of fiddling around with the ratios for margaritas. It's time to find a few new cocktails for the rotation.

Tonight I started with the Bunny Bonanza. I didn't add the sugar and clearly should have done so, as it's got a bit more bite than I'd like.

What are people's favorite tequila cocktails?

[MissMeglet]

Does a Long Island Iced Tea count?

[Chris Amirault]

Sure! Though I think that LI Iced Tea counts in about two-thirds of the topics in this forum!

[johnder]

How about a La Rosita

1.5 oz tequila

.5 oz sweet vermouth

.5 oz dry vermouth

.5 oz Campari

I have been working on a drink with Phil that is tequilla, cucumber, mint, lemon, simple and chatreuse. Research is almost complete on that one.

[Jaymes]

Okay, so it's kinda trite, but I really like a nice Tequila Sunrise. Especially at sunset.

[Kent Wang]

How about a La Rosita

←

Just tried it. Tastes pretty good.

[KatieLoeb]

Palomas are mighty tasty and refreshing.

Cherry and citrus flavors go together well so I spent a good part of the summer drinking a Paloma variant of tequila, sour cherry syrup and Fresca with a squeeze of lime.

[Dave the Cook]

Sam turned me on to El Diablo. Tequila and cassis get along really well together.

I'd also suggest that you start working with unaged, 100% agave spirits. It really does make a big difference. You might even find Margaritas more interesting.

[ludja]

Chimayo Cocktail from Rancho de Chimayo, just north of Santa Fe:

1/4 oz lemon juice

1 1/4 oz premium tequila

1 1/2 oz apple cider

1/4 oz Creme de Cassis

apple wedges, thinly sliced, for garnish

Add tequila, creme de cassis, cider and lemon juice to a shaker. Stir or shake with ice and strain. Garnish w/apple wedge.

Sangrita is traditionally served as a chaser for tequila but you can make a tequila cocktail with it as well. I"ve had this drink but not made it myself yet. The sangrita can have orange and lime juice, serrano chile, tomato juice, onion. Other versions have orange and lime juice, grenadine syrup, ground chile, s&p...

Just cross posted with Dave the Cook; interesting to see the cassis/tequila combo in another cocktail. I also love unaged, 100% agave tequila for margaritas.

Edited September 14, 2006 by ludja (log)

[cocktailgeek]

I'm a big fan of the Diablo and the Chimayo, but think you can do better than 3Gs. I know it's 100% agave, but spend a few more dollars for better tequila: El Tesoro, Gran Centenario, Siete Leguas, Don Julio, Correlejo, Partida, Cazadores, etc.

[plattetude]

How about a La Rosita

1.5 oz tequila

.5 oz sweet vermouth

.5 oz dry vermouth

.5 oz Campari

I have been working on a drink with Phil that is tequilla, cucumber, mint, lemon, simple and chatreuse.  Research is almost complete on that one.

←

One other ingredient for this (at least as I'd had it prepared for me at Pegu Club) -- flamed orange peel. At home, I've found that Regan's Orange Bitters are a close enough approximation. (Drinkboy.com recipe includes a lemon twist as well.)

This is definitely very high in my rotation these days, and I'm really loving how both the tequila and Campari play together without either one obscuring the other.

Christopher

[Sneakeater]

I tried to find a recipe for the fabulous Lil Jig cocktail served at the Pegu Club, but couldn't.

[Sneakeater]

Sammy at Milk & Honey (in NYC) has served a very good tequila/rosewater cocktail called "La Nina", but I haven't been able to find a recipe for that anywhere, either.

[slkinsey]

I find that a good 100% agave tequila makes an especially good match with maraschino. Pairs funk with funk. Campari is also good with tequila.

Katie at Flatiron Lounge came up with a great tequila cocktail called (I think) the Siesta. IIRC, it's more or less a Floridita with tequila instead of rum. Delicious.

[lefti_99]

Hi all,

Here in London we have a drink called the Treacle, created by Dick Bradsell which is kind of a modern day rum old fashioned with a splash of apple juice added.

Out of curiosity, has this drink made it across the Atlantic?

Anyway, Kevin of the Match Bar Group here in London has a tequila twist of the drink which is well worth a look.

Recipe would be something similar to the following, and the drink would be made like an old fashioned.

5ml agave syrup

angostura (to taste)

50ml 100% agave tequila

splash of apple juice

Oh, and for added benefit, it's been said that agave syrup is the new honey, ie a so-called "super-food" so you can reap the benefits while you kick back with this drink!

Cheers,

Lefti

[eje]

I'm a big fan of the Diablo and the Chimayo, but think you can do better than 3Gs.  I know it's 100% agave, but spend a few more dollars for better tequila: El Tesoro, Gran Centenario, Siete Leguas, Don Julio, Correlejo, Partida, Cazadores, etc.

←

I haven't been a huge fan of the Sauza products since they switched bottles. Just seems different somehow.

For margaritas and other cocktails, I really like the Herradura Blanco 92 proof. I had one of the best margaritas I've ever had at Zuni here in San Francisco, with simply Herradura blanco, Cointreau, and fresh lime juice. Perfect.

I know I've mentioned Dale DeGroff's Big Spender cocktail from time to time; but, I still think it is an excellent cocktail, even with blanco tequila and a reasonable rose champagne.

Big Spender

1 oz Gran Centenario Anejo tequila

1 oz Liqueur Creole

1/2 oz Blood orange juice

Cristal Rose champagne (NOTE: For cheaper big spender use Billecart Salmon Brut Rose)

Assemble the first three ingredients in a bar glass with ice and stir to chill. Strain into a chilled champagne flute and garnish with spiral mof orange peel and a flamed orange zest.

[Chris Amirault]

How about a La Rosita

1.5 oz tequila

.5 oz sweet vermouth

.5 oz dry vermouth

.5 oz Campari

←

One other ingredient for this (at least as I'd had it prepared for me at Pegu Club) -- flamed orange peel. At home, I've found that Regan's Orange Bitters are a close enough approximation. (Drinkboy.com recipe includes a lemon twist as well.)

←

Thanks, Christopher and John. I just made this with the tequila mentioned above, NP vermouths, and the Regan's bitters: very nice indeed, sort of a Mexican twist on a Negroni.

[johnder]

I was hankering for a La Rosita but when searching for my campari I came across aperol and came up with a variation that was petty tasty.

La Aperita

1.5 Silver Tequila

.75 Aperol

.5 NP Sweet

.5 NP Dry

Grapefruit twist.

Overall it was pretty good. I had to bump up the Aperol to make it noticable and replaced the orange with the grapefuit in this version. Will try an orange twist in the next one.

Edited September 15, 2006 by johnder (log)

[phlip]

that sounds good johnder. the lil jig is

4 muddled thai basil leaves

1 1/2 herradura silver

1/2 yellow chartruese

1/2 simple syrup

3/4 lime

shaken and double strained to get the guck out

also of note tequila old fashions. which offer good oppurtunity to use your favorite aged or rested tequila

also the siesta is

11/2 herradura silver

3/4 simple

3/4 lime

1/2 grapefruit

1/4 campari

im really glad some one started this thread. ii really love tequila as the spirit base in cocktails.

[slkinsey]

Yellow Chartreuse and tequila. Very cool.

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks to Dave, or Janet, or Dave and Janet, I've been enjoying this "Margarita Castaneda" tonight:

2 oz tequila

1/2 oz lime juice

1/2 oz grapefruit juice

1/2 oz Maraschino

[Dave the Cook]

This was a true Society collaboration. Sam suggested the pairing of tequila and Maraschino. Janet suggested a variation on the Hemingway Daiquiri. I just did some experimentation, and played guniea pig.

I'd suggest that when using a reposado, you bump the citrus a tiny bit.

[Danne]

I would like to learn more about tequila drinks.

I don't want to use any other alcohol ingredients.

E.g. Margerita; tequila, cointreau, limejuice.

That´s the type of recipe I don't want to know more about, because it's more than one alcohol ingredient.

I would like to learn more about drinks like, tequila sunrise.

So anyone out there who can help me?

[plattetude]

Well, if you're interested in getting the essence of tequila, the best tequila drinks are certainly these:

tequila on the rocks

tequila neat

tequila up

If you're feeling adventurous, a squeeze of lime in each of the above wouldn't be out of place. Maybe we'd want to call that a Tequila Rickey.

But if your aim is to compile a list of tequila-only mixed drinks, I'd suggest cocktaildb.com as having a fairly sizable compendium, ranging from reputable to thoroughly dubious provenance ("Gorilla Sweat"? Really? Eek).

That said, I think single-spirit cocktails (or more appropriately, "mixed drinks") are pretty rare in the cocktail culture, though I'm sure many may chime in to the contrary.

And by the bye, the Tequila Sunrise may sometimes include creme de cassis as well as grenadine and orange juice, potentially putting it out of competition.

Christopher

[APPS411]

I love a good silver tequila like Don Julio or Porfidio (my favorite) on the rocks w/ two limes wedges.

Another lighter option is to muddle a few lime wedges w/ a sprinkle of sugar add some crushed ice and tequila (silver or aged) shake then pour into a glass and top off w/ some tonic or soda. Nice and refreshing.