While the Margarita is a great cocktail, there is another tequila cocktail in my repertoire which I think is not only fabulous, but also does a better job at showcasing the distinctive flavor of tequila. I first ran across this recipe many years ago in an issue of GQ magazine. Terry Sullivan had a monthly cocktail and spirits column in it, and this particular month he was talking about tequila. The bulk of the article focused on a particular “tequila experience” he had, but then at the very end he blithely inserted the recipe for a drink I had never heard of before, the Rosita.
Rosita
- 1 1/2 oz. silver tequila
- 1/2 oz. Campari
- 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
- 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
Stir with ice, strain into an iced filled Old Fashioned glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist.
What caught my eye on this recipe was that it included Campari, a product which takes a little bit getting used to, and which I had formed a great fondness for. This quickly became one of my signature cocktails.
I looked around to see if I could find any references as to where this cocktail might have come from, but not only could I not find any historical information, but I couldn’t even find any other references to it at all. I even checked with Mr. Sullivan as to its origins, but he said it was just one of the cocktails that he had run across at some point, and couldn’t remember where. Perhaps we will never know the real story here.
