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–+ servings

Smoky Tequila Sour

When times are tough, I pull out my favorite bitter liqueurs — Italian amaros — for happy hour. There are a lot of different amaros, of course, but they're all characterized by, well, a medicinal bitterness — of which I happen to be a fan. But you can't just drink them straight all the time. No, you should also make cocktails with them, cocktails like this smoky twist on a margarita.
This recipe first appeared in the Pantry Raid video series.
Alton Brown with Smoky Tequila Sour cocktail
ACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 cocktail

Software

  • 1/2 medium orange
  • 1 lime, halved (with a thin sliced reserved for garnish)
  • 1 1/2 fluid ounces blanco tequila
  • 1/2 fluid ounce Italian amaro
  • 1 teaspoon agave syrup
  • 2 dashes liquid smoke
  • Ice cubes

Specialized Hardware

  • Boston-style cocktail shaker
  • Small fine-mesh sieve
  • Cocktail coupe

Procedure

  • Juice the orange half and the lime through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl or liquid measuring cup. Measure out 2 fluid ounces (60 ml) of the juice mixture and transfer to a cocktail shaker.Shake, don't stir, 'cause juice, syrup, and liquor all have different viscosities.
  • Add the tequila, amaro, agave, and liquid smoke to the shaker, then fill with ice cubes. Shake until the exterior of the shaker is very cold, 20 to 30 seconds. Strain into a cocktail coupe, garnish with the lime slice, and consume immediately.