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Negroni lovers will want to try the Tequila Mockingbird cocktail

The Tequila Mockingbird brings together tequila, cacao rum, and two types of amaro

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tequila mockingbird cocktail 2
Dylan Elliott

The Negroni is one of the all-time iconic cocktails, but it’s a little unusual in its construction. Unlike many mixed drinks it contains no fruit juice and no mixer, just a blend of spirits and vermouth to create a perfectly balanced, bracing drink.

If you love a Negroni, you might want to try one of the many Negroni variations that are out there — or you might want to dive into the world of other spirits-only cocktails. We’ve got an example of that category today, with a recipe from the Morimoto Napa restaurant in California. Unlike a Negroni this drink is shaken rather than stirred, but it has a similar bracing backbone of spirits with the sweetness coming from the use of Italian amaros.

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Developed by mixologist Josh Weed, the Tequila Mockingbird combines tequila with cacao rum and two types of amaro to create a smooth drink with notes of baking spice and chocolate, bringing out those flavors in the tequila. The idea is to create the perfect late summer drink, combining the fresh summery zing of the tequila with the longer, spicy chocolate flavors that are a nod to the incoming days of fall.

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How to make a Tequila Mockingbird

Created by Josh Weed, Morimoto Napa

Ingredients:

  • 45ml Casa Obsidiana Blanco Tequila
  • 15ml Copalli Cacao Rum
  • 15ml Ramazotti Aperitivo Rosato
  • 15ml oz Brucato Chaparral Amaro
  • 5 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

Method:

Stir all ingredients with ice until chilled and properly diluted. Strain over a large ice cube and garnish with an orange peel and viola flower.

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