Will Horner
New York City bartender Phil Ward’s iconic Oaxaca Old Fashioned became a staple on Death & Co’s cocktail list in 2007, propelling mezcal and reposado tequila into the mixology stratosphere. Ward’s version saw the standard Old Fashioned’s bourbon base replaced with the two Mexican spirits. Two decades on, it’s the inspiration behind The House That Love Built, created by Thomas Howard, bar manager of The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne’s glitzy rooftop bar, Cameo.
“I wanted the drink to be a celebration of tradition and craftsmanship, using single-village mezcal and tequila, spirits made with techniques handed down through generations. To honour that legacy, I’ve paired the spirits with a marmalade inspired by my grandmother’s grapefruit and lemon recipe, made by gently cooking down pear and apricot.”
Where Ward used Angostura bitters and agave, Howard combines three types of Japanese bitters with the marmalade. He uses La Gritona reposado tequila infused with makrut lime leaf, and Bozal Cuishe mezcal to bring smoky, botanical notes to the drink.
How to make Thomas Howard’s The House That Love Built cocktail recipe
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add 45ml reposado tequila, 20ml mezcal, and 1 heaped barspoon of pear and apricot marmalade. Add 2 dashes shiso bitters, 2 dashes yuzu bitters and 1 dash grapefruit bitters. Stir vigorously and strain over a large rock of quality ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with makrut lime leaf.
Three Reposado Tequilas to try
La Gritona Reposado
Howard’s reposado of choice is crisp and savoury, evened out by vegetal notes and double-distilled by a master distiller dubbed the queen of tequila, and her all-female team.
$100 for 700ml, danmurphys.com.au
Clase Azul Reposado
Made with blue Weber agave, slow-cooked for 72 hours, this ultra-premium reposado is aged for eight months in American oak casks, giving it a velvety mouthfeel and long finish.
$400 for 750ml, kentstreetcellars.com.au
Fortaleza Reposado
Distilled in the Mexican town of Tequila, this cult classic layers citrus, caramel and sage notes for a soft texture and delicate spice hit, thanks to resting in ex-bourbon barrels.
$170 for 750ml, vintagecellars.com.au
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