villa de verano

2 1/4 oz Don Julio Blanco Tequila
3/4 oz Jarabe de Cacao Ahumado Syrup (*)
1/4 oz Fernet-Branca

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with freshly grated coffee bean.

(*) Recipe for the Jarabe de Cacao Ahumado

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 cup Tazo Cacao Nibs
1/4 tsp smoked salt

Bring water to simmer with cinnamon, cacao nibs, and salt. Add sugar to dissolve, but do not bring to a boil.

The second booth we went to at the Presbytere Museum cocktail party was hosted by Misty Kalkofen and Josey Packard, both of Drink in Boston. While Josey (pictured here) made me my drink, I believe that the recipe was Misty's and from past experience, I know her tequila-fu is strong! In the Villa de Verano, the coffee was noticeable on the first part of the sip and worked quite well with the tequila flavors. The Fernet-Branca was most evident on the swallow and matched the intensity of the tequila base spirit. Moreover, the salt cinched in and intensified the flavors without getting in the way of the drink. None of my notes mention the cacao which might have bridged the gap between Fernet-Branca and the coffee flavors quite well. But alas, the drink had enough going on that I missed jotting down some of the tasting notes.

Post note 11/7/22: I uncovered the recipe in the "Drinks of Drink" notebook at work, and this how Josey also made the drink:

Villa de Verano
• 2 oz Milagro Tequila
• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
• 1/4 oz Fernet Branca
• 1/4 oz White Crème de Cacao
• Muddled coffee beans
• Smoked Salt
• Grated Cinnamon

It is unclear what is included in the mix and what is the garnish in this version, but it reads like the coffee is included in the mix here.