Mexican Firing Squad

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Cocktail History

The Mexican Firing Squad is a classic tequila cocktail that was first published in Charles H. Baker Jr.’s second volume of The Gentleman’s Companion, which centered around exotic drinks he experienced on his world travels. According to the book, it was created during Prohibition at La Cucaracha Bar in Mexico City, Mexico, a known favorite of many thirsty Americans visiting the country at the time.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Pineapple Jalapeño Tequila: This is one of the base spirits. We used Dulce Vida Spirits Pineapple Jalapeño Tequila for its delicious fruit flavor and heat from the pepper.

Tequila Blanco: This is the other base spirit that adds more agave flavor. We used El Jimador Tequila Blanco because it’s clear, light, and flavorful, and it’s affordable.

Lime Juice: This adds sour citrus flavors for balance. We prefer to use fresh citrus juice because it’s less bitter than the bottled stuff and tastes better.

Grenadine: This is a sweetener that is made with pomegranate. We made ours using Alex’s homemade recipe.

Angostura Aromatic Bitters: This is a type of spirit infused with botanicals. They add more spice and complexity to the drink and tie the other flavors together.

Lime Wedge: This is the garnish. It adds fresh lime aroma and flavor when spritzed over the drink.

Tasting Notes

The Mexican Firing Squad is usually a simple yet tasty recipe made with tequila, grenadine, lime juice, and bitters, so we kicked ours up an extra notch with a split base of jalapeño pineapple tequila. It started with inviting scents of jalapeño and grenadine, featured the sweet taste of pineapple initially, and finished with a dryness from the bitters and pomegranate.

Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We both really liked this drink. Kendall may have even promptly declared our shoot wrapped after a few sips so she didn’t have to focus on anything but drinking more of them the rest of the night. And we both thought this sweet and spicy agave cocktail is a great alternative to the Classic Margaritas we usually enjoy for Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.

Tools & Glassware We Recommend

More Tequila Cocktails

If you like this tequila cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:

• Privateer (Variation): A tequila cocktail made with passion fruit syrup, pineapple juice, lime juice, smoke and salt bitters, rosemary, and Tajín

• Salted Sage Paloma: A tequila cocktail made with grapefruit juice, lime juice, salted sage syrup, soda water, and sage leaves

• Mocha Spiked Horchata: A tequila cocktail made with horchata, cold-brew coffee, chocolate bitters, and ground cinnamon

• Wild Rose: A tequila and dry sparkling wine cocktail made with pineapple gum syrup, maraschino liqueur, Angostura aromatic bitters, and a orange twist