The smokiness of sage and my love of Mexico attracted me to the idea that tequila and mescal would be qreat summer drinking buddies, in a smoldering, floral cocktail, inspired by the six magic makers from our herbal cocktail journey.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Sage Flower Infused IXA Organic Tequila Reposado
- 1 ounce Vida Organic San Luis Del Rio Mezcal 1 ounce Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur
- ½ ounce Blackberry Sage Ginger Shrub
- ½ ounce Sage Honey Nectar
- ¼ ounce lemon juice
- Fresh Sage Leaf & Pink Peppered Blackberry Garnish
Preparation
BLACKBERRY FLUME Y FLOR
Combine booze, shrub, nectar and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice; strain into a coupe-style or martini glass. Garnish with a fresh sage leaf and sugared blackberry attached to a cocktail stick/pin, lying over the glass.
SAGE FLOWER IN FUSED TEQUILA
Combine 1 bottle of tequila reposada with a handful of sage flowers and infuse for about 4 days. Strain and discard herb.
BLACKBERRY SAGE GINGER SHRUB
In a quart-sized Mason jar, combine 2 cups ripe blackberries, 1 handful fresh chopped sage leaves, 1 teaspoon cracked pink peppercorns, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger and juice and zest of 1 lemon with ¾ cup coconut sugar. Shake vigorously and place covered in the fridge. Allow to macerate for a couple of days, shaking a few times a day. Strain the maceration, using a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth, making sure to extract all the juice. Discard the solids and add 1 cup citrus champagne vinegar to the blackberry juice. Chill.
SAGE HONEY NECTAR
In a saucepan combine ½ cup honey with ½ cup water and a handful of sage leaves and stems. Allow to simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring well so that the honey and water melt into each other. Take off heat, allow to cool and chill.
SAGE LEAF PINK PEPPERCORN & SUGAR GARNISH
Mix together 2 fresh, chopped sage leaves, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 teaspoon finely ground pink peppercorns with ¼ cup raw sugar. To assemble garnish, squeeze a little lemon juice over a few blackberries, roll in the sugar and lace onto a cocktail skewer along with a whole sage leaf.
