A few traditional cocktails with non-traditional ingredients
By: Warren Bobrow
Published: February 7, 2012

Playing around with liquors today I discovered some traditional cocktails and deepened them with the use of non-traditional ingredients. 
This year, February 22nd is National Margarita Day.  I chose to twist up the classic Tequila based Margarita in a whole new way. 
The Classic Margarita, woven from Tequila, lime and orange liquor just calls out to my cocktail whispering ways. 
First I substitute Tuaca for the orange liquor.  Tuaca is Madagascar Vanilla and Orange with spices and herbs.  Tropical in nature, this liquor hails from Mexico like the other more traditional ingredients in the Margarita. 
The first cocktail I call the Suggestion Box Margarita.  It makes a frosty pitcher of nearly mind erasing power so it is  quite a nice excuse to invite  friends over for a few hours. 
Why the suggestion box?  Because you will want to suggest what to call this cocktail, but soon will forget how.
P.S. No humans were harmed while testing this concoction!
Ingredients:
2 Shots Tenneyson Absinthe
2 Shots Reposado-style Tequila
1 Shot Tuaca Liqueur 
4 Shots of freshly squeezed lime juice
2 Shots Atlantico Reserva Dominican Rum
Bitter End Mexican Mole' Bitters 
Royal Rose 3 Chilies Simple Syrup (about 6 Tablespoons)
Sea salt
Crushed ice
Preparation:
Add all the liqueurs to a cocktail shaker and a bit of ice, you will have to make this in batches
Add the lime juice and shake to combine
Pour into an ice-filled pitcher and drip 2 medicine droppers of the Mexican Mole' Bitters over the top and stir
Garnish with fresh lime chunks and sea salt over the top, you can put in a bit of Perrier lime if desired to give this drink a lift
 
Vanilla Express Cocktail
The story behind this cocktail started with a generous gift of a bottle of Conjure Cognac.  I first tasted this barrel aged Cognac at home and knew immediately that the haunting notes of the fermented grapes - the barrel aging gives an almost rum-like finish.  It needed to be combined with the liquor named Tuaca and shaken with a bit of Rum to give depth.  Rum, Tuaca and Cognac?  All together?  Yes.  Certainly.  These flavors call out to each other.  In addition, a liberal application of the sumptuous Autumn Plum simple syrup from Royal Rose in Brooklyn pushes the envelope to a fever pitch. Then of course there is the Lucid Absinthe wash.
  I could have called this cocktail a runaway train.  But it really is the Vanilla Express. Makes several small cocktails.  You might even want to make this cocktail into shots!  Be careful!
Ingredients:
2 Shots Conjure Cognac
2 Shots Tuaca
1 Shot Atlantico Reserva Rum
1 Shot  Royal Rose Autumn Plum Simple Syrup
1/4 shot Lucid Absinthe wash (wash out the cocktail glasses with the Lucid Absinthe) 
Freshly squeezed Blood Orange Juice (about 6 ounces)
Preparation:
Add the Liquors to a cocktail shaker with some ice, you may have to batch this cocktail
Add the Royal Rose Simple Syrup of Autumn Plum
Add the Blood Orange juice
Shake and strain into shot glasses and shoot with lime on the side
 
The final drink is another take on the Margarita with Tuaca and Mezcal instead of Tequila and lime juice. 
I call it a Rio Grande Stand-off
The ingredients are very simple. 
Mezcal, Tuaca, Mexican Mole' Bitters and crushed coconut water ice
Preparation:
To a cocktail shaker filled 1/4 with regular ice add 2 Shots of Mezcal, 1 Shot of Tuaca, and several drops of the Mexican Mole' Bitters from Bitter End
Shake and strain into a tall glass filled with crushed coconut water ice.
*use unsweetened coconut water in an ice cube tray overnight*
Shave some bittersweet chocolate over the top.
 
Sip to the Rio Grande!
 
Cheers!  wb
http://www.wildriverreview.com/wildtable
Photography: Warren Bobrow (Leica M8, Summicron F2 50mm)