PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o ¼ ounce Pernod Absinthe Supérieure o 2 ounces 1800 Silver tequila o ¾ ounce light Crème de Cacao o ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice Garnish o lemon peel Method: 1. Swirl absinthe to coat the inside of a chilled cocktail glass and discard the excess. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice. 3. Serve up in the prepared glass. 4. Garnish with lemon peel. Remarks: The taste of this cocktail is not easy t

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ounce Flor de Caña Extra Seco rum o 1 ounce 1800 Añejo tequila o 2 ½ ounces pineapple juice o 1 ounce grapefruit juice o ½ ounce agave syrup Garnish o Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino cherry o pineapple wedge Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve up in a chilled cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with a cherry and a pineapple wedge. Remarks: This tastes the way you would expect it to taste. Summer

PH factor:  8.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 1 ½ ounces 1800 Añejo tequila o ¾ ounce Bénédictine D.O.M. o 2 ounces fresh orange juice Method: 1. Shake over ice. 2. Serve over ice in a collins glass. Remarks: Sweet and citrusy up front but with an interesting something going on in the background. . . .

PH factor:  10 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 2 ounces 1800 Silver tequila o ½ ounce Chambord o 1 ounce light Crème de Cacao o 1 ounce cream Garnish o sliced strawberry Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. 3. Garnish with sliced strawberries. Remarks: We debated the rating of this creamy confection. Then we decided if your first reaction is, “Wow, that’s a ten.” Then perhaps it should rate a

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 1 ounce 1800 Silver tequila o 1 ounce Campari o 2 ounces grapefruit juice o ½ ounce fresh lime juice Garnish o lime twist Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with a lime twist. Remarks: The recipe is attributed to Tami Lax of the Madison Wisconsin Harvest Restaurant. . . .

PH factor:  9.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 2 ounces 1800 Añejo tequila o ¼ ounce Licor 43, Cuarenta Y Tres o ½ ounce Lillet Rouge o 1 dash Angostura bitters o 1 dash orange bitters Garnish o Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino cherry wrapped in salami Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Strain into a martini glass. 3. Garnish with the salami wrapped cherry. Remarks: Yes, the salami wrapped cherry. . . .

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 1 ½ ounces 1800 Reposado tequila o 1 ounce Aperol o ½ ounce St. Germain liqueur o ¼ ounce fresh lime juice Garnish o lime twist Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve over ice in a cocktail or margarita glass. 3. Garnish with lime twist. Remarks: You could salt the rim of the glass as with a “traditional” margarita but frankly, given the Aperol and St. Germain, we think that ship has sa

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o salt o 2 ounces 1800 Silver tequila o 1 ounce Cointreau o 2 ounces blood orange juice o ¾ ounce fresh lime juice o ¾ ounce agave nectar o 1 dash Hella Orange bitters Method: 1. Moisten rim of a cocktail glass and invert it into a shallow dish of salt to coat the rim of the glass. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice. 3. Strain into the prepared glass. Remarks: A margarita of a different co

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o lime zest o salt o 1 ½ ounces 1800 Silver tequila o ¾ ounce blue Curaçao o 1 ½ ounces fresh lemon juice o ½ ounce agave syrup Garnish o lime wheel Method: 1. Moisten rim of a martini or margarita glass and invert the glass into a shallow dish containing a mixture of lime zest and salt to coat the rim of the glass. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice. 3. Strain into prepared glass. 4. G

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 1 ounce 1800 Silver tequila o ¾ ounce Galliano o ½ ounce Cointreau o 1 teaspoon Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice o 3 ounces fresh orange juice o 1 egg yolk Garnish o ½ lime wheel o Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino cherry Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients without ice. 2. Add ice and shake again. 3. Fine strain into a collins glass filled with ice. 4. Garnish with lime and cherry. Remarks: This is a

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ¼ ounces Ilegal mezcal o ¾ ounce 1800 Silver tequila o 1 ounce fresh lime juice o ¾ ounce Chai Syrup (see: Syrups etc.) o pinch of sea salt Garnish o 2 star anise pods Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice until very cold. 2. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. 3. Garnish with star anise. Remarks: The Chai Mezcalita is a very flavorful cocktail and it is not just for mezcal lovers.

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 2 ounces 1800 Añejo tequila o ¾ ounce pumpkin puree o ½ ounce condensed milk o 1 dash Angostura bitters or to taste o 1 pinch cinnamon Garnish o mint sprig or whipped cream and cinnamon Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with mint sprig or top with whipped cream and dust with cinnamon. Remarks: This cocktail would be good anytime. However, if th

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces Clase Azul Reposado tequila o ¾ ounce Southern Comfort o ¼ ounce Monte Alban mezcal o 1 ounce fresh lemon juice o ½ ounce agave nectar Garnish o peach slice and lemon wheel Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve over ice in a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with peach slice and/or lemon wheel. Remarks: This is an appropriate pairing since tequila and mezcal are as related as can be.

PH factor:  9.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ¼ ounces 1800 Reposado tequila o ¾ ounce Schladerer Edel-Kirsch o ¾ ounce Lillet Rouge o ¾ ounce fresh orange juice o 1 dash Hella Smoked Chili bitters or to taste o 1 bar spoon Ilegal mezcal Garnish o Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino cherry Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients except mezcal over ice. 2. Strain into an ice-filled double Old Fashioned glass. 3. Float mezcal on top. 4. Garnish with a

PH factor:  8.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 2 ½ ounces 1800 Silver tequila o ½ ounce Lillet Blanc o 1 splash olive brine o 1 dash Angostura bitters Garnish o 3 olives Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Strain into a martini glass. 3. Garnish with olives. Remarks: The key to making any dirty martini is first use “top-shelf” liquors and liqueurs. Then add olive brine to lightly flavor it. Many bartenders tend to a

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces 1800 Reposado tequila o ¾ ounce Blandy's 5-Year-Old Malmsey Madeira o ¾ ounce Manzanilla sherry o ½ ounce Luxardo maraschino o 1 dash Angostura bitters or to taste Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. Remarks: Although this cocktail definitely tastes of Madeira and sherry, it is sufficiently fortified to never be confused with an afterno

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 2 ounces 1800 Silver tequila o 1 ounce green Chartreuse o ¾ ounce grapefruit juice o ¾ ounce fresh lime juice Garnish o star anise Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with star anise. Remarks: We tweaked the original recipe considerably. After considerable testing we consider this version the best. All things considered. . . .

PH factor:  9.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o sugar o 2 ounces 1800 Reposado tequila o 1 ounce Hennessy VS cognac o 1 ounce Cointreau o ½ ounce fresh lime juice o 1 tablespoon agave nectar Garnish o lime wedges Method: 1. Moisten the rim of a cocktail glass with lime juice and invert it into a shallow dish of sugar to coat the rim of the glass. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice. 3. Serve up in the prepared glass. 4. Garnish with lime

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 1 slice fresh ginger o 2 ounces 1800 Silver tequila o 1 ounce yellow Chartreuse o ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice o ¼ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. Garnish o basil leaf o Angostura bitters Method: 1. Muddle ginger in a cocktail shaker. 2. Add ice and remaining cocktail ingredients and shake to chill. 3. Fine strain into a cocktail glass. 4. Garnish with fresh basil leaf and a dash of Angostura

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 2 ounces Clase Azul Reposado tequila o ½ ounce fresh lime juice o 3 ounces Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer o ½ ounce Crème de Cassis Garnish o lime wheel Method: 1. Combine tequila and lime in an ice-filled collins glass and stir. 2. Top with ginger beer. 3. Float the Crème de Cassis on top of the drink. 4. Garnish with lime wedge. Remarks: Published as the Mexican El Diablo in “Trader Vic’s Book of F

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces 1800 Reposado tequila o ½ ounce Ilegal mezcal o ½ ounce Galliano liqueur o ½ ounce agave nectar o 1 dash Hella Citrus bitters o 1 dash Peychaud’s bitters Garnish o lemon twist Method: 1. Add cocktail ingredients to an Old Fashioned glass. 2. Add ice and stir to chill. 3. Garnish with lemon twist. Remarks: An interesting combination of flavors. The taste of Galliano dominates and with the agav

PH factor:  9.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 1 sage sprig o 2 ounces 1800 Reposado tequila o ¾ ounce Amontillado sherry o ¾ ounce pineapple juice o ½ ounce fresh lime juice o ½ ounce agave nectar o 1 dash Hella Citrus bitters or to taste Garnish o grapefruit peel, optionally flamed Method: 1. Muddle sage in a cocktail shaker. 2. Add ice and remaining cocktail ingredients and shake to chill. 3. Fine strain into a martini glass. 4. Garni

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o ¼ ounce Pernod Absinthe Supérieure o 2 ounces 1800 Añejo tequila o ½ ounce light Crème de Cacao o 1 dash Angostura bitters or to taste Garnish o orange twist Method: 1. Swirl absinthe in chilled cocktail glass and discard the excess. 2. Stir remaining cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 3. Strain into the prepared glass. 4. Garnish with orange twist. Remarks: We were a little divided on

PH factor:  10 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 1 ½ ounces 1800 Añejo tequila o ½ ounce Pimm’s No.1 Cup o ½ ounce Licor 43 (Cuarenta Y Tres) o 1 ounce fresh lime juice o 1 ounce Simple Syrup (see: Syrups etc.) o 2-3 drops Bittermens Xocolatl Mole bitters o 12 ounces Modelo Negra cerveza Garnish o mint leaves Method: 1. Shake all but cerveza over ice. 2. Pour into in an ice-filled Belgian beer glass. 3. Top with cerveza. 4. Garnish with mint