Day of the Dead Cocktails

Everyone knows I’m a Mexicophile - obsessed with the place and I long to live there again. November 2nd marks "Dia de los Muertos" or "Day of the Dead", an annual Mexican holiday celebrating the lives of friends and relatives who have passed away.

Espolon Tequila having won 3 gold medals this year at the San Francisco world spirits competition is marking the Day of the Dead celebrations by teaming up with renowned mixologists from San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Sydney to create Dia de los Muertos-inspired cocktails. Each cocktail is aptly named and easy to recreate at home so you can capture the essence and spirit of the festival.

These tequilas are distilled and bottled at Destiladora San Nicolas, an artisan distillery in the Los Altos (highlands) region of Jalisco, Mexico. San Nicolas sets the standard for tequila production and was awarded the "Best Tequila Factory in Mexico" by the School of Architects and Engineers of Jalisco.

The Day of the Dead celebrations on November 2nd - fix yourself one of these spirited Espolón Tequila cocktails and raise a glass in honour of those who have passed:

Ashes to Ashes
Created by H. Joseph Ehrmann
Elixir, San Francisco

45ml Espolón Tequila Reposado
15ml Pedro Ximenez Sherry
30ml Lemon Juice
1 tsp Hot Chocolate Powder
10ml Agave Nectar
1 pinch Ground Cinnamon

Directions: Place all ingredients in a mixing glass, fill with ice, cover and shake well for 10 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with cinnamon dust.

Fresa Catrina
Created by Thomas Waugh
Death & Company, New York
60ml Espolón Tequila Blanco
15ml Fresh Lemon Juice
20ml Simple Syrup
1 small strawberry
10 whole black peppercorns
Splash of Absinthe

Directions: Muddle strawberry with black peppercorns. Rinse a cocktail glass with absinthe. Shake all ingredients with ice in a shaker and fine strain into the rinsed cocktail glass.


Hugos' Ofrenda
Created by 'AJ' Nathan Allen-Jones
Bar Manager, Hugos Group

40ml Espolón Reposado
15ml Cointreau
15ml Lime Juice
90ml Mango Puree

Directions: Add a scoop of ice and ingredients to a blender and blitz until silky smooth. Serve in a glass and garnish with a mint leaf.