Sierra de Noche
Blood orange, amaro and allspice: the Sierra Norte at nightfall, in a glass.
When night falls in the Sierra Norte, the forest smells of resin, spice and woodsmoke. This cocktail brings it to the glass: blood orange adds fruit and colour, amaro a bitter, herbal depth, and allspice, a spice native to Mesoamerica, wakes up the clove, cinnamon and cacao notes of Canto de Lobo.
Profile: spiced, fruity, bitter and deep
Glass: chilled coupe
Technique: shaken and double strained
Ingredients
- 1½ oz (45 ml) Canto de Lobo Mezcal
- ⅔ oz (20 ml) amaro (we recommend Averna or Montenegro)
- 1 oz (30 ml) freshly squeezed blood orange juice
- ½ oz (15 ml) lime juice
- ⅓ oz (10 ml) allspice syrup (see below)
- Dried blood orange wheel and freshly grated allspice, to garnish
Allspice syrup
Put 100 g sugar, 100 ml water and 1 tablespoon lightly crushed whole allspice in a pan. Warm over low heat until the sugar dissolves, simmer gently for 5 minutes, then take off the heat and let it steep for 30 minutes. Strain and refrigerate; keeps for two weeks.
Method
- Chill the coupe with ice or in the freezer.
- Add all liquid ingredients to a shaker.
- Fill with ice and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
- Double strain into the chilled coupe.
- Garnish with the blood orange wheel and grate a little allspice on top.
Bartender's tip
Blood oranges are in season from winter to spring. Out of season, use regular orange juice with ⅙ oz (5 ml) pomegranate juice for colour. Averna makes the drink darker and more caramel-like; Montenegro makes it more floral and light.
Enjoy responsibly.
