El Diablo
El Diablo is a flavorful and refreshing tequila-based cocktail that does not get nearly as much love as it deserves. This combination of lime juice, crème de cassis, reposado tequila, and ginger beer was created by of none other than Trader Vic, one of the forefathers of the tiki-cocktail scene. Though this cocktail appears like a departure from his other more well-know creations (such as the Mai Tai), it is just as delicious. The star ingredient of El Diablo is undeniably the black currant liqueur, crème de cassis; the flavor of crème de cassis is similar to crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur) but characteristically more tart by comparison. Unfortunately, crème de cassis is not the most prevalent ingredient used in cocktails and is likely attributable to holding El Diablo back from becoming more popular. This libation was created to served tall in a Collins glass and topped with ginger beer (I prefer Fever Tree or Cock ‘n Bull) in order to achieve a nice balance of flavor, however, depending on your preference the amount of ginger beer you use may differ. Last, but certainly not least, don’t forget to garnish your cocktail with a lime wheel and crystallized ginger. It is not entirely uncommon to find interpretations using blackberries as garnish even though there is no real correlation to the ingredients of the cocktail. But don’t take my word for it, make one and try it yourself!
El Diablo
In your shaker, combine the lime juice, crème de cassis, and reposado tequila.
0.75 oz of Lime Juice
0.75 oz of Crème de Cassis
2 oz of Reposado Tequila
1.5 oz of Ginger Beer (to top)
Add ice to your shaker and shake until it develops a frost. Double-strain the contents (by pouring them from the shaker through a fine mesh strainer) into your Collins glass over ice and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime wheel and crystalized ginger.
