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How to make an Elote Old Fashioned, an exemplary corn-forward cocktail

A recognizable cocktail under the tasty guise of corn

An Old Fashioned cocktail on a counter
Dan Baker / The Manual

We love a classic Old Fashioned recipe. That simple mix of ingredients has lasted for generations for a reason. But like all time-tested templates, it’s meant to be played around with.

So we sought out something a little different. Instead of bourbon, we are feeling tequila (check out our agave spirits guide for more options). And instead of standard bitters and citrus peel, we thought we’d seek out some other complementary flavors.

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Just as we started sniffing around, a recipe caught our eye from a standout watering hole. Here’s an Old Fashioned that pays homage to Mexico and its love of corn. It comes to us from Sunset Cantina, a top player in the San Francisco bar scene. Read on for the full recipe.

Elote Old Fashioned

Credit to Sunset Cantina bartender and co-owner Colin O’Malley for this spectacular recipe. You get notes of oak and vanilla and those comforting characteristic of oh-so-familiar roasted corn.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces Cazadores Reposado
  • 1 ounce Elote liqueur
  • 3 dashes Chocolate Aztec bitters
  • *Some element of corn for garnish

*The bar recommends a baby corn ear or corn husk ribbon. You can also throw in some Tajin on the rim or atop the drink as a reference to elote (“street corn”) itself.

Method:

  1. Combine the tequila, Elote liqueur, and bitters in a mixing glass filled with ice and stir until well chilled.
  2. Strain into a glass of your choosing over a single large ice cube.
  3. Garnish with corn.

There’s plenty more in that department. Check out the best Halloween cocktails as the holiday is right around the corner. And this year, it falls on a Friday.

Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since… Read Full Bio
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