3 Agave Cocktails That Are NOT a Margarita or Paloma

Happy #NationalCocktailDay! I couldn’t think of any better way to celebrate this day than with you guys, so I am gonna share some of my favorite agave recipes. And no, I’m not going to put a margarita or Paloma on the list. Don’t get me wrong, they’re both great and  I love them both. I just think we should expand our cocktail horizon a little this year. 

So here we go: Three agave cocktails that aren’t a Margarita or a Paloma

A Rosita: 

This first drink has gotten quite the buzz after Kaitlyn Stewart at @likeablecocktails told Justin at @thirstywhale_ that negronis are overrated. To clarify, she didn’t say the Negroni isn’t a great cocktail, just that it’s overrated. As much as I love negronis…Kaitlyn has a point haha. Obviously, you can’t just criticize a drink with so much history without providing a cooler alternative, so she recommended a Rosita if you like a negroni and want to branch out. 

The rosita has an interesting story as well. I’ll let you read about the history here, but I want to tell you how you can make this perfect cocktail for someone who likes citrus and bitter notes. To get started, you’ll need: 

• 1 ½ oz. tequila
• ½ oz. sweet vermouth
• ½ oz. dry vermouth
• ½ oz. Campari
• 2 dashes of angostura bitters
• Garnish: lemon twist

Once you’ve got this, all you need to do is combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Nothing elevates the presentation of a drink like a little bit of garnish, so stir and serve over rocks with a lemon twist garnish.

Watch me craft a Rosita with Cazcanes Reposado.

Si Guey:

This drink is made by one of my favorite bartenders, the late Sasha Petraske. Every restaurant has its own language that is spoken by the employees. That means there are different ways to say “I heard you,” “on your back,” or even “thank you.” At Milk and Honey, the employees answer “Si Güey” when they understand what another employee needs. “Si Güey” basically translates to a crude but can also be an endearing way to say “yes bro.” You probably have connected the dots by now, but this is where the name of this cocktail came from. But the drink is so much more than restaurant slang. Si Güey is a perfect combination of citrus, vegetal, smokey, and sweet flavors. It gets some bonus points because it is so easy to make and a great way to step away from your basic old-fashioned. For the best taste, I recommend you build it in an old fashioned glass over a rock. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• 2 oz. reposado tequila
• ¼ oz. dry Curaçao (I highly recommend using Pierre Ferrand Curaçao for this cocktail)
• ¼ oz. Islay Scotch whisky (float)
• 3 dashes orange bitters

Naked and Famous:

You know a bartender is skilled when they can make a delicious daiquiri AND has created an equal-parts cocktail. Equal parts cocktails are my favorite and one of the most underrated kinds of cocktails! To be able to balance a cocktail using equal parts of various ingredients is a real talent. Just think of classics such as The Last Word, The Paper Plane, Corpse Reviver No.2… all amazing equal parts cocktails, and honestly three of my all-time favorites. You can read the story about this equally amazing equal parts cocktail here. All you’ll need to make it is…

• ¾ oz. mezcal
• ¾ oz. yellow chartreuse 
• ¾ oz. aperol
• ¾ oz. fresh lime juice

From here, you just have to add all of the ingredients to the shaker. Shake, double strain, and sip neat in a nick and nora glass. Garnish with a lemon twist if you like to make it pretty.

@thelucasassis_ Let’s make a Naked and Famous! #cocktails #drinks #bartenders #mezcal #drinksoftiktok ♬ original sound – Lucas Assis

I hope you guys celebrate today appropriately. Salucita!