3 kick-ass cocktails from Mexico City to make at home

Refreshing, herby, gin-based Signature Cocktail at Limantour

1.5 oz (50 ml) gin

2 oz fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice

1.5 oz (15 ml) fresh-squeezed Lime juice

1 oz. (15ml) rosemary syrup, made with sugar, water and rosemary (essentially a concentration of flavoured sugar)

6 basil leaves

3 dashes of hibiscus syrup (made with hibiscus leaves, water, sugar, cardamom, cloves)

1 branch of fresh rosemary

1 slice of grapefruit

1 drop orange bitters

To prepare the rosemary syrup, add rosemary leaves into a pot, then add equal parts sugar and water. Put it on the hob for 20-30 minutes on medium heat and stir until the ingredients are dissolved and sweet and a syrup consistency with a sweet rosemary flavour is achieved. (Store whatever’s left in the fridge and use for other future cocktails.)

To prepare the hibiscus syrup, add equal parts dried hibiscus leaves, cardamom and cloves in to a pot, adding equal parts sugar water. Put it on the stove for 20-30 minutes on a medium heat and stir until the ingredients are dissolved and sweet, with a syrup consistency and hibiscus flavour. (Store in the fridge for future use.)

Then, add all the ingredients together in a shaker. Add ice. Shake until mixed. Strain and pour in a tall glass topped with crushed ice. Decorate with rosemary branch and grapefruit slice.

Twist on the classic margarita, using ingredients connected to Mexican dish Taco al Pastor

2 oz. (50 ml) Tequila

0.75 oz (3/4 oz/20 ml) Cointreau

1 oz. (25 ml) fresh-squeezed lime juice

1 oz. (30 ml) fresh-squeezed pineapple juice

1 dash agave honey (optional)

4 Cilantro leaves

1 dash of chopped serrano pepper (add accordingly to how spicy you want the drink)

2 basil leaves

2 slices of pineapple (1 for garnish, 1 for mashing)

Spoonful of cilantro salt to add to the rim of the glass

In a shaker, first add pineapple chunk and herbs to blend together, hand-mashing it up. Then add all other ingredients and shake well. Add ice and repeat until mixed. Strain and serve in a chilled-coupe glass. Cover the rim of the glass with cilantro salt and garnish with pineapple slice. The cocktail should be a green colour from blending the herbs with the pineapple.

Named after the Latin American camelid, with mezcal as the base

30 ml mezcal amores

30 ml pisco Cappel (Chilean)

50 ml fresh-squeezed, smoked pineapple juice

25 ml lime juice

15 ml agave honey

Garnish: Dehydrated beets, carrots and pineapple

Add all ingredients in to a shaker and shake well. Add ice and repeat. Strain and serve in a Highball glass. Garnish with the dehydrated beets, carrots and pineapple.

To prepare the smoked pineapple juice, place large, peeled pineapple chunks into a bowl and heat up a large spoon until it’s red hot over the pineapple. Place a piece of apple wood over the bowl to begin the smoking process. Then put aluminium foil over the bowl and leave for an hour before juicing the smoked pineapple chunks. (Be very careful when using the red hot spoon and be fire safety-aware.)

These cocktail recipes come from Limantour, who have two cocktail bars (in Roma and Polanco) in Mexico City, one in Roma and one in Polanco. See www.limantour.tv.

Limantour has been named the “best bar in Latin America and the Caribbean” in the World’s 50 Best Bars competition. See www.worlds50bestbars.com/Limantour.

All images from Limantour.