Hispanic Heritage Month 2015: The Ultimate Latino-Inspired Cocktail Guide

As Hispanics we know how to party and we’re kicking off the national 'fiesta' with a round-up of refreshing sangria, coquito and different cocktails to enjoy our unique culture, traditions and diversity. Beer, rum and tequila are just some of the ingredients you will find on our collection of easy drink recipes that are perfect to share with friends or family in any occasion.

Let's celebrate and honor our Latino culture with the ultimate cocktail guide for National Hispanic Heritage Month. Salud !

1. Menta Old Fashioned by head bartender Alexander Aportela from Finka Table & Tap

Ingredients:

2oz Old Forester Bourbon

.5oz Mint Syrup

2 Dashes Angostura

2 Dashes Lemon Bitters

Preparation: Begin your cocktail with 2 dashes of Angostura bitters and 2 dashes of lemon bitters into a mixing glass. Next add the syrup and bourbon. Fill glass with ice and stir for 15 revolutions. Pour over a 2x2 ice cube and garnish with a mint sprig and a lemon peel.

2. Basil-ando by head bartender Alexander Aportela from Finka Table & Tap

Ingredients:

2oz Martin Miller’s Gin

.75oz Grapefruit Syrup

.75oz Fresh Cucumber Juice

.75oz Fresh Lemon Juice

2 Dashes of Boston Bitters

Preparation: Pour all ingredients into a shaker and fill half way with ice. Shake until the ice has broken down. Strain with a hawthorne and coco strainer. Pour over a 2x2 ice cube and garnish with a basil leaf.

3. Basil Hayden’s Spiced Chocolate Cooler by molecular mixologist Rob Floyd

Ingredients:

2 parts Basil Hayden’s Bourbon

16 parts Low Fat Milk

1 1/2 parts Unsweetened Chocolate

1 1/2 parts Sugar

1 bar of Dark Chocolate (4 oz bar)

4-5 dashes of Chipotle Chili Pepper

Preparation: In a saucepan over a low heat, combine milk, unsweetened chocolate, sugar and dark chocolate. Warm, and stir continuously until all ingredients are combined. (Do not boil.). remove from heat and let cool.

Add bourbon and chipotle chili pepper and stir, at the end add to Popsicle mold and freeze.

4. Basil Hayden’s Berry Fresh by molecular mixologist Rob Floyd

Ingredients:

7 parts Basil Hayden’s Bourbon

1 1/2 parts Elderflower

2 parts Water

2 parts Fresh Lime Juice

4-5 Strawberries, medium size

12 Blueberries

Preparation: Poke a hole in each blueberry and soak in 4 parts of bourbon for 30 minutes. Set aside. Add strawberries to cocktail shaker and muddle. Also add fresh lime juice, elderflower syrup, remaining bourbon and water to the cocktail shaker and shake hard. Add to the popsicle molds and three bourbon-soaked blueberries to each mold and freeze.

5. Knob Creek Dog Days

Ingredients:

1 1/2 parts Knob Creek Rye Whiskey

1 1/2 teaspoons absinthe

1 3/4 parts freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 3/4 simple syrup

2 parts bottle ginger beer

Preparation: In a mixing tin, add spirits, juice and syrup. fill tin with ice and shake vigorously for at least 6 seconds. Strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice and tip with ginger beer, garnish with a lemon wheel and mint sprig.

6. Coquito by head bartender Dean Feddaoui from LILT Lounge

Ingredients:

1-15 ounce cans cream of coconut

1-14 ounce cans sweetened condensed milk

1-12 ounce can evaporated milk

8 ounces white rum (use less if you like) I like to infuse mine with 4 vanilla beans split in half for at least 2 days.

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preparation: Mix all ingredients in a blender, refrigerate for about an hour before serving. Serve cold. Finish with freshly grated nutmeg garnish. This recipe makes about 36 ounces.

7. Sangria de Cerveza by head bartender Joel Mesa from Bulla Gastrobar

Ingredients:

.5 oz. St. Germain
.5 oz. triple sec
.5 oz. lemon juice
4 heaping bar spoons pear purée
Ommegang Witte

Preparation: Build first four ingredients in a glass with ice, top with beer. Stir well and garnish with two bar spoon chopped oranges & two pieces of basil.

8. Pomegranate margarita from Del Frisco’s Grille New York

Ingredients:

2 oz. Avion Repasado Tequila

1 oz. Cointreau

1 oz. Pom juice

1 oz. Fresh lime juice

Preparation: Combine all in mixing glass fill with ice, give it a quick flop to mix ingredients. Fill glass with fresh ice and strain and pour from mixing glass. Garnish with a lime.

9. Exotic mojito from Bâoli Miami

Ingredients:

2 oz. Bacardi Rum

1 part passion fruit puree

1 part mango puree

1 part choice of either raspberry or strawberry mix

fresh lime juice

splash club soda

10-12 fresh mint leaves

star fruit garnish

Preparation: Slap mint and add leaves to lime juice in a highball glass. Half fill the glass with crushed ice, add rum, fruit puree, berry mix & stir. Top up with crushed ice and a splash of club soda. Garnish with a slice of star fruit.

10. Can We Be Amigos? from AQ by Acqualina at five-star Acqualina Resort & Spa

Ingredients:

1 oz. Casamigos Blano Tequila

½ oz. hot sauce (preferably Cholula)

¼ oz. agave nectar

¾ fresh lime juice

Pinch of salt

6 oz. lager beer (any lager works, we use Florida lager)

Rimmed with paprika salt

Preparation: Mix all ingredients into a shaker, excluding the lager beer. Shake and strain into a burgundy glass that’s garnished with the paprika salt. Top off with lager beer.

11. Bari cocktail from Scarpetta

Ingredients:

Muddled Jalapeno Slice

1.5oz Muddled Watermelon

0.75oz Fresh Lime Juice

0.75oz Agave Syrup

2oz Corzo Blanco

Preparation: Shake and double strain into rock glass. Garnish with cilantro sprig & jalapeno slice.

12. Fire In The Hole from Bleau Bar

Ingredients:

Poblano Pepper infused

Cabeza Tequila,

Passion Fruit/Vanilla Syrup

Lime, Chichicapa Mezcal Jalapeño and lime wheel

Collins Glass

Preparation: Prepare collins glass and mixing glass. Add 1 jalapeño, 1oz of passion fruit/vanilla syrup, .5 oz of fresh lime juice, .5 oz of Chichicapa Mezcal, 2 oz of Poblano Pepper Infused Cabeza Tequila.

Add ice, cap and shake to mix and strain into collins glass. Garnish with a lime wheel and a jalapeño.

13. Flamenco Cocktail by Tuyo

Ingredients:

1 1/4 Oz gin
1 Oz Pedro ximenez
1 Oz lemon juice
1 Oz simple syrup
Dash Grenadine

Preparation: Shake and strain into iced rocks glass Garnish with orange twist

14. Ultimate Gin & Tonic from The Bazaar by José Andrés

Ingredients:

2 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
1 bottle Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic
Slice 4 inch Lemon Rind thinly and twist
1 Ice Sphere

Preparation: couple juniper berries, one whole edible flower (no petals), one very thin lime wheel and one verbena sprig. Place ice sphere in a wine glass. Pour gin over the ice. Add garnishes. Pour tonic table side.