I have already featured a few drinks for Valentine’s Day, but I had to go ahead and give you this one, too. Sure, I’m weeks late, but this drink is so good, timing didn’t matter.
I know I’m prone to hyperbole. Everything I taste is often the best thing I’ve ever tasted. Okay, I’m not that bad. At least I hope I’m not.
But this really is a good cocktail. Call it something different if you want. Call it Apollo’s Cider. Or Zeus’s Cider. Or Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal. Who cares? But try it.
Again, this recipe was sent to me by Hornitos, so I take no credit for it.
The Cupid’s Cider Cocktail recipe
To make the Cupid’s Cider, pour into a larger old fashioned glass:
- 1 1/2 oz Hornitos Black Barrel Tequila
- 3/4 oz apple cider
- 2 oz water
- 3/4 oz cinnamon syrup
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 5 dashes Angostura bitters
And put some ice in it. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and an apple wedge.
Something about this recipe is perfect. Make sure you put the two ounces of water, though, or it’s way too sweet. Trust me here. I tried it, so you don’t have to. And adjust the bitters to taste. The original recipe called for two. I like five. Or more. Oh, I love bitters.
This might be the perfect winter cocktail. Especially for Houston winters when it’s 75 degrees in February. We have it rough, people.
How to make cinnamon syrup
You will need cinnamon syrup, but that’s easy. Just make a one-to-one simple syrup (1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups water) and put a few cinnamon sticks, a couple cloves, and a couple anise (or eliminate the cloves and anise; what you really want is the cinnamon), and bring it to a boil. Then let it cool completely, and strain into a sealed container. It will keep for a while, at least a few weeks. But if you keep making these cocktails, it won’t last long.
So this isn’t far off from an iced mulled cider with bitters in it (I’m kicking myself for never thinking of adding bitters when making mulled cider), but the choice of tequila surprises me. I mean I wouldn’t expect hornitos to send you a recipe with rum or bourbon in it, but how do you think those would work?
You are so right, Guy Who Lives in Spain. It IS like a mulled cider with bitters. The Black Barrel Tequila is a whiskey-like barrel-aged tequila, and it drinks a lot like a whiskey. I like it both neat and on ice. While the recipe could actually substitute any high-quality aged liquor, the Black Barrel tastes just right. Perhaps I will have to do some experimenting tonight to see if other aged spirits work as well.