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Cocktail History
The El Duque is a modern cocktail that was created by Gabriel Orta and Elad Svi at Twenty-Seven Restaurant & Bar in Miami Beach, Florida. The recipe is essentially a coffee-flavored variation of the Manhattan that uses four untraditional ingredients you don’t typically see in the classic, including rum, cream sherry, cold-brew coffee, and chocolate.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with sugarcane, spices, and water that has been barrel aged for a long period of time. We used Flor De Caña 4 Year Añego Oro Rumbecause it has light and airy aromas of vanilla and almond with flavors of white chocolate and citrus. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit in place of the rum.
Cream Sherry: This is a type of sherry made with a blend of dry wine and sweet wine. We used Don Benigno Cream Sherry because it has a nutty almond taste that is noticeable but still subtle. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Non-Alcoholic Sherry Flavoring in place of the sherry.
Cold-Brew Coffee: This is a type of coffee made by steeping coffee beans in room temperature water for 12-18 hours. We used Soul Brewed Coffee Cold-Brew Coffee because it’s made locally to us.
Chocolate Bitters: This is a food product made with chocolate, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters.
Lemon Twist: This is the peel of a lemon that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. We used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. We used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. We used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
Tasting Notes
The El Duque features aromas of citrus and coffee and tastes like a combination of the pleasant shock of ice-cold coffee mixed with cream sherry’s slight sweetness for balance, all followed by the noticeable taste of rum.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: While neither of us are the biggest fans of the classic Manhattan, we both enjoyed this take on it quite a bit. And as a coffee lover, Alex especially liked the way its spirituous flavors complemented the lush, bitter taste of the local cold brew we used. The El Duque is worth a try, for sure!
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“At first taste, I loved what this drink delivered: the dark aroma of black coffee, the even darker taste of coffee mixed with sherry, and the sugary funk of rum to finish it off. The chocolate bitters are fairly imperceptible, but you can tell they’re making a difference in the background. If you’re not keen on the Espresso Martini trend that’s been so hot lately, try this one out and see if you’re really a die hard coffee lover.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“There’s no denying that Espresso Martinis are in right now, but if you’re not one to follow trends, this is a coffee-flavored cocktail that’s much more sophisticated, in my opinion. I don’t personally drink coffee so it wasn’t my favorite drink we’ve tried recently, but I could see a frequent downer of the beverage absolutely loving this cocktail. Seeing Alex’s reaction to the first sip was proof.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH.
Add rum, cream sherry, cold-brew coffee, chocolate bitters, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.
Stir for 30-45 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with lemon twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Add rum, cream sherry, cold-brew coffee, chocolate bitters, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.
Stir for 30-45 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with lemon twist.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Caleño Non-Alcoholic Dark & Spicy Tropical Spirit in place of the rum and Non-Alcoholic Sherry Flavoring in place of the sherry to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Coffee Cocktails
If you like this coffee-flavored cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Mocha Rum Toddy: A rum cocktail made with coffee, dark crème de cacao, simple syrup, whipped cream, and cocoa powder
The Marriage of Maguey: A mezcal and tequila cocktail made with coffee chocolate liqueur, orange curaçao, and agave syrup
Sabueso Old Fashioned: A tequila and mezcal cocktail made with caramel coffee syrup, coffee and chocolate bitters, and an orange peel
White Russian: A rum cocktail made with coffee liqueur, Luxardo Amaro Abano, amaretto liqueur, and half & half
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