rodriguez

1 oz El Tesoro Blanco Tequila (Olmeca Altos)
1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
1/4 oz Benedictine
2 dash Grapefruit Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Fridays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcard set for Teardrop Lounge in Portland, and I spotted the Rodriguez from the "friends" section of the menu. The Rodriguez was crafted by bartender Ryan Fitzgerald at Beretta in San Francisco, and the combination of agave, Cocchi Americano (or Lillet), and Benedictine in that ratio reminded me of Trina's Starlite Lounge's Unicorn Blood and San Francisco's Jonny Raglin's Nouveau Carré that appeared in the PDT Cocktail Book. Here, the Rodriguez opened up with grapefruit and agave aromas along with a hint of smoke. Next, orchard fruit notes on the sip gave way to vegetal and herbal flavors on the swallow with a grapefruit and smoke finish.