We’re featuring another of my original cocktails today, because that’s the manner in which I sometimes choose to roll. Also because it’s easy to make, delicious (if I say so myself), and—if you’ve been following along with some recent entries—you probably have a bottle of Aperol on your shelf that you’d like to get more use out of!
A non-citrus tequila drink (my favorite kind of tequila drink), the Tatuaje was loosely inspired by a cocktail I once had in a Parisian bar, Bar Le Forum, but differs in a few ingredients. The most important thing that I stole was the grapefruit twist, and it’s here that I recommend no deviation. Sure, you can use orange or lemon in a pinch, but the grapefruit really adds a certain je ne sais quoi (or perhaps no sé qué) to the drink, significantly altering its aroma and taste – particularly in the first few sips. Don’t be afraid to cut a big ol’ swath off, twist it over the cocktail, and drop it in.
The name Tatuaje, which means tattoo in Spanish, came to me while I was perusing the Ilegal Mezcal website which, then and at the time of this writing, features a heavily tattooed model front and center. As the drink makes such liberal use of both tequila and mezcal, the Spanish spelling of the word seemed appropriate.
One final note: Hawaii Bitters Company seems to be defunct, but you can find lots of different coffee bitters by searching the web. Alternately, you could use Angostura bitters and rinse the glass with a bit of coffee liqueur for a similar effect.
Liquors in parentheses are what I used when I made this recipe, and are included as suggestions.
The Tatuaje Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
- Bar spoon
- Cocktail Strainer
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Reposado Tequila (Cruz)
- .75 oz. Sweet Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
- .5 oz. Aperol Aperol
- .25 oz. Mezcal (Ilegal Joven)
- 1 dash Coffee Bitters (Coffee Bitters )
- Grapefruit twist Garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a pint glass over ice and stir thoroughly.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.