The versatility of tequila!
Poolside Margaritas are iconically quaffable, but tequila needn’t be put away with summer clothes. It is so much more than a sultry weather spirit. Tequila has a range of flavor profiles, lending opportunities to incorporate the spirit of Mexico in classic cocktails, too.
The distilled spirit is made from blue agave (tequilana Weber), a large succulent that grows in Mexico. New tequila brands and innovations continually hit the market. Imaginative barrel aging in former sherry, Bordeaux and cognac casks expand the boundaries of tequila’s identity. Some rival the quality of single malt scotch whiskies and Armagnacs. The more times tequila is distilled, it produces an increasingly smoother spirit.
Get creative with tequila. Play with its versatility in classics in your home bar, restaurants and your local tavern. When switching tequila in cocktails for other base spirits, it can bring earthy and herbaceous character along with depth to a cocktail.
A Moscow Mule is a fairly straightforward cocktail to stir up: It’s simply vodka, ginger beer and lime. Swapping the main spirit for tequila packs the same punch with more herbaceous flavor than neutral vodka. Add a jalapeno garnish for extra heat in your Mexican Mule.
At the Painted Pickle, The El Diablo is the souped-up version of the Mexican Mule. Beverage Director Julian Goglia mixes tequila, fresh ginger and lime juices, and adds black currant for a little sweetness. It’s like pickleball is to tennis—a bit more playful.
makes a complex Mule using tequila in place of vodka.
Jalen Shaw of Onyx at Buckhead Grand Hyatt proves that whether shaken or stirred, a martini also sips well with tequila. He calls the Mexican Martini a “tantalizing twist,” shaking tequila with lime juice, Cointreau and a touch of olive juice. He garnishes it with an olive and a lime wedge, delivering a balance of tangy and salty.
You might not think of tequila or its earthier cousin Mezcal as a go-to for crafting an Old Fashioned, but it works so well. Stick to a barrel-aged reposado or añejo tequila and construct in the same method as the original.
Casi Cielo has a menu of dozens of tequila expressions listed by types and a long list of mezcals from which to choose. The standard Old Fashioned here has the addition of Agave de Cortes Mezcal to stirred bourbon, simple syrup and bitters, with an orange peel and Bing cherry garnish. It’s called the Smoky Old Fashioned for the softly smoky mezcal and the presentation under a smoked dome. Switching to a tequila and mezcal version lends the drink to a balance of smokiness and sweetness with herbaceous notes and earthy undertones.
Italian restaurant Pendolino uses tequila in an Old Fashioned variation but puts a firm Italian stamp to it as well. Sonny Boy combines blanco tequila, Vecchio del Capo Italian Liqueur and agave. Warming and luminous, it has all you want in an Old Fashioned but more to talk about. Vecchio del Capo swirls with herbs and spices of Calabria, along with bittersweet oranges. It’s a genius interpretation.
KNOW YOUR TEQUILA
Blanco (silver/white): unaged and bottled after distillation
Joven (gold): blend of unaged and aged tequila
Reposado: aged for two months to one year, usually in oak barrels
Añejo: aged one to three years
CASI CIELO
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PAINTED PICKLE
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PENDOLINO
pendolinoatl.com
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ONYX AT GRAND HYATT ATLANTA
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