cortez julep

1 1/4 oz Blanco Tequila (Piedra Azul)
1/2 oz Oloroso Sherry (Lustau's Dry)
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
3/4 tsp Simple Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)
12 Mint Leaves

Lightly muddle the mint leaves in a Julep cup. Add rest of the ingredients, fill with crushed ice, and stir. Top with more crushed ice, garnish with a mint sprig and a blackberry (omitted), and add a straw.

Two Fridays ago for the cocktail hour, I opened up Food & Wine: Cocktails 2013 and spotted a recipe from Bobby Heugel of the Anvil in Houston. Bobby's Cortez Julep recipe came together from his love of the tequila-sherry combination. While I have grown to appreciate this pairing in drinks like Thomas Waugh's Delores Park Swizzle, the presence of sherry in the Julep reminded me of the quirky but delicious Platonic Julep we had a few years ago. With our mint patch going pretty strong, I set out to harvest a few sprigs.
The mint garnish's aroma prepared the senses for the green notes in the sip that played amongst the grape and light citrus elements. Next, the tequila began the swallow that ended with the nutty sherry and spicy mint.