Mexican Firing Squad — Tequila, lime and grenadine, lengthened with soda

Mexican Firing Squad

Tequila, lime and grenadine, lengthened with soda

Number of people

Ingredients

  • 2 ozBlanco Tequila
    A hundred percent agave blanco
  • 9 dropsJack Rudy Aromatic Bitters
    Built on burnt cane sugar, so it reads dark rather than spiced
    Substitute: Any aromatic bitters
  • 3/4 ozLime Juice
    Equal to the grenadine
  • topSoda Water
    In the producer's version; Baker's serve leaves it out
  • 3/4 ozGrenadine
    Real pomegranate, since it is doing all the sweetening

Instructions

  1. Add 2 oz blanco tequila, 3/4 oz grenadine, 3/4 oz lime juice and 9 drops aromatic bitters to a shaker
  2. Fill with ice and shake vigorously
  3. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice
  4. Top with soda water

Technique Notes

Grenadine and lime in equal measure, which makes this a sour built on pomegranate rather than on sugar. Real grenadine matters more here than in most drinks, because it is carrying all of the sweetness and most of the colour.

Why the Mexican Firing Squad Works

Tequila, lime and pomegranate is already a complete drink, and the bitters is what gives it a second half. Jack Rudy build theirs on burnt cane sugar, so it reads as a darker sweetness underneath the grenadine rather than as a spice sitting on top.