Santo Tequila asked top bartenders to create cocktails that Transcend the Ordinary using their authentic 100% Blue Weber agave tequila for a higher quality experience.

Out of hundreds of entries these Top 5 Finalist Bartenders’ cocktails Transcend the Ordinary and are moving forward in the competition to the finals. Congratulations!

Thank you to all the bartenders who participated. Stay tuned for our announcement of the TOP THREE (3) WINNERS chosen by our judges who will win Cash Prizes coming soon.

 

 

Soul on Fire

Created by Jes Gutierrez-Switaj

My first love is cooking, from which my love for cocktail crafting evolved. My spice rack holds likely every spice you’ve heard of, and lots more. I hoard spices. I always like to repeat the adage ‘Cooking is an art, baking is a science.’ I’m not a scientist, and I approach my cocktail creation the same way I approach cooking. Start with an idea, add a few things, taste, add more, repeat until it’s perfect. Or until it’s tasty. Sometimes you create a flop, or you must start back at square one. But if you let your flavors lead you, you can end up with some delicious art. My spices are like magic potions and powders to me, and I try and use them whenever I can. My inspiration for this cocktail, and the theme of ‘Transcend the Ordinary’ was to incorporate common household ingredients in creative and exciting ways, but still simply enough for any level of cocktail enthusiast to replicate. I wanted the cocktail itself to be an experience for all the senses. The spice of the peppers leaves your lips tingling, the kind of heat only more heat can quell. The lingering Palo Santo and mandarin oils transports the mind to sandy, arid climes. The drink’s bright golden hue like the blinding desert sun. An adventure for the palate all in one glass.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Chocolate Milk washed Santo Mezquila
• 1/2 oz Chili infused Cognac
• 1 oz Mandarin Orange Juice
• 1/2 oz Coriander Syrup
• 6 Drops Salted Cacao Bitters
• Squeeze of Lemon Palo Santo Smoke

Preparation: Rim glass by lightly brushing on some coriander syrup and then sprinkling with mandarin salt. Combine cocktail ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until well chilled. Strain into glass over 1-2 large chunks of clear ice. Smoke cocktail with Palo Santo before serving. Chocolate Milk washed Santo Mezquila: In a glass container combine 2 oz chocolate milk and 1/4 teaspoon cocoa powder. Slowly pour in 6 oz of Santo Mezquila. Allow mixture to rest for anywhere from 2 hours to overnight, refrigerated. Fine strain through a coffee filter until clear before using. Chili infused Cognac: 4 oz Cognac 1/4 teaspoon Szechuan Peppercorns 1 tablespoon dried Ancho Chili pieces 1 dried Chili de Arbol, crushed Combine ingredients in a small jar. Shake and allow to infuse for minimum 3 hours. Strain contents before using. Mandarin Salt: Dehydrate peel of one mandarin orange, with as much pith removed as possible. Grind dried peel and 1 heaping teaspoon sea salt in coffee grinder until pulverized. Coriander Syrup: 1/4 cup Whole Coriander Seeds 1 cup Water 3/4 cup Sugar Combine water and sugar in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add coriander and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow seeds to rest in syrup until completely cooled. Strain, bottle and refrigerate. *Garnish Mandarin Salt Rim.

 

 

 

Basilica de Santo

Created by Suzy Tweten

My cocktail is meant to be pure and fresh, just like the pure blue weber agave tequila. The tequila’s notes of white pepper and citrus play beautifully with herbs such as basil. This is meant to transcend a typical cocktail experience by bringing in that freshness, as well as moving beyond typical expectations in cocktail combinations. Falernum is an ingredient you rarely see paired with agave — It is typically seen in fun, wild tiki cocktails to bring in those notes of clove and ginger. My inspiration for bringing in such a wild ingredient is of course Santo’s founders, Sammy and Guy. Two people who know a lot about tequila and flavor. Well, guys, tequila plus basil plus falernum will take you straight to Flavortown! The egg white foam rounds out the flavors and gives it an elevated look and mouthfeel. This is an easy cocktail to make while still transcending the ordinary.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Santo Fino Tequila Blanco
• 1/2 oz Falernum liqueur
• 1 oz Lime juice
• 1/4 oz Basil syrup*
• Egg white or vegan alternative
• Aromatic bitters for garnish

Preparation: *Basil syrup Make simple syrup using 1 cup sugar to 1 cup water – heat just until sugar dissolves. Once cooled, blend simple syrup with 1/4 cup fresh basil on high for 30 seconds. Fine strain and keep refrigerated. For the cocktail: Add all ingredients except bitters to a cocktail shaker. Shake well without ice, and then add ice and shake again. Double strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with aromatic bitters and a basil leaf. Bitters “hearts” and a basil leaf for garnish.

 

 

 

Break The Mold

Created by Jonathan Stanyard

Break the Mold is a cocktail that is all about the revelation that is the Santo Mezquila. The world’s first blend of tequila and mezcal. I often mix cocktails with a split base; Santo Mezquila was the perfect base for this next-level cocktail. I chose to use some tropical fruits and flavors of Mexico to capture the culture where the product goes from field to bottle. To bring the vegetal tones of the Blue Weber agave to the forefront, I used fresh sage to elevate those and the citrus and pepper notes. Raspberry and Passionfruit are bright and inviting to the olfactory senses, giving your taste buds a fruity dance. In combination with the smokey Espadin agave, there is a perfect balance of light and dark. To ensure a textural component, I used Passion Fruit in a foam with a touch of agave syrup and repurposed aquafaba (bean water). It is finished with drops of Hibiscus Saline and a hint of fresh sage. Every component is readily available from many grocers or cocktail supply stores. The foam and saline drop are easily made within minutes without special equipment. Like Guy Fieri, Sammy Hagar, and Juan Eduardo’s groundbreaking blend of mezcal and tequila, I, too, broke the mold.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Santo Mezquila
• 1/2 oz Raspberry Syrup
• 1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 dashes Orange Bitters
• 3 Fresh Sage Leaves
• Top with Passion Fruit Foam*

Preparation: Add two sage leaves to a cocktail shaker and muddle lightly to bring out the oils and aromas. Add the Santo Mezquila, Raspberry Syrup, Lemon Juice, and ice and shake well for 12 seconds. Double strain into a fun cocktail glass of choice. Finish with a layer of fresh passion fruit foam, hibiscus saline drops, and a fresh sage leaf. Passionfruit Foam 2 oz aquafaba 1 ½ oz Passionfruit Puree ¾ oz Agave Syrup Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake until soft but stable foam is achieved. Adding a shaker ball or the coil from a Hawthorne strainer can help. Another option is to use a milk frothing wand. Hibiscus Saline Combine 60g of warm water with 6g of salt and a teaspoon of hibiscus flowers. Stir until the salt is dissolved and let steep for 15 minutes—strain and place into a dropper bottle. *Garnish with Hibiscus Saline Drops* + Fresh Sage Leaf.

 

 

 

Ctrl+Alt+Delete

Created by Jon Mateer

This cocktail, “Ctrl+Alt+Delete” is about escaping the ordinary by transcending the ordinary. Working the hospitality industry can weigh on those working in it heavily sometimes. Occasionally, we need to reset and “Ctrl+Alt+Delete” to refresh our batteries and reboot ourselves both mentally and physically. This cocktail transcends the ordinary by taking a classic margarita and giving it an entirely new twist with fresh tropical ingredients. The perfect drink to escape the ordinary and transcend to the perfect time off. Recharge those batteries, take care of yourself, and don’t forget to “Ctrl+Alt+Delete” every once in a while.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 oz Santo Mezquila
• 1/4 oz Toasted Coconut Campari
• 1/4 oz Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur
• 1 oz Fresh Pineapple Juice
• 1/2 oz Lime Juice
• Tajin Rim (for garnish)

Preparation: Combine all ingredients into a shaker tin and shake over ice until diluted. Then, strain into one half of the shaker tin and discard the ice. Shake without ice (reverse dry shake) for 15 seconds to add additional aeration. Double Strain into a coupe that has been rimmed with tajin salt. *Coconut Campari, start by placing 530g of coconut flakes onto a baking sheet. Then lightly toast the coconut flakes in the oven until aromatic. Combine the toasted coconut flakes with one bottle (1 Liter) of Campari. Whisk until incorporated. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for 24 hours. Then, strain the coconut flakes out of the Campari. Store chilled until needed for service! *Garnish with Tajin Rim.

 

 

 

Truffle and Bee

Created by Jorge Ortega

Truffle and Bee is anything but ordinary as Mezquilla isn’t either. I wanted an all-around “wow, I’ve never had that before” factor. The sweetness from the truffle honey syrup balances out nicely with the mezquilla, while allowing the smokey undertones to standout. The sparkling wine adds a touch of freshness and bubbles to bring the cocktail to life. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Santo Mezquilla
• 1 oz Truffle Honey Syrup*
• 3/4 Fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 oz Sparkling Wine

Preparation: *Truffle Syrup: Add a had full of cloves, 3cup honey, 1 cup water and truffle oil to taste to saucepan. Bring to a slow simmer and let settle for 24hr. Strain. Add all ingredients to your tin and shake with ice. Strain into a Coup glass and top off with sparkling wine. Garnish with dehydrated lemon wheel, edible flowers, gold dust and black truffle pearls.

 

The post Here are the Top 5 Finalists in the Santo Transcend the Ordinary Cocktail Competition appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News