For Cinco de Mayo, try this tequila Martini variation

The Platino Martini. Photo: Christopher Pearce

Story by Sam Bygrave
Photographs by Christopher Pearce
In association with Jose Cuervo

What’s in a name? Look down the the long history of drinkable drinks and you’ll see that any number of them have gone by any number of names: tequila, say, was once called Mexican whiskey, and the Martini may or may not have been called the Martinez, Marguerite, or Martine. And the ingredients in the Martini? Well the spirit portion has been gin, genever, Old Tom, you name it.

So for our purposes today — and with de facto tequila holiday, Cinco de Mayo, taking place on Sunday — let’s consider the tequila to be like a Mexican genever, and this recipe, a blanco tequila Martini of sorts. After all, what’s in a name?

We’ve written before about the dearth of classic tequila cocktails out there — for every Margarita there’s two dozen gin drinks. So that means that bartenders have no choice but to remodel the old drinks with new ingredients, as Proximo Australia’s tequila specialist Hayley Dixon has done here. It’s like the Mr Potato Head theory of mixing drinks — switch one part out for another.

Platino Martini

  • 50 ml frozen Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Platino
  • 7.5 ml cacao-washed dry vermouth 
  • 3 dash beetroot juice
  • 1 dashes dash Green Chartreuse
  1. Stir down over ice and strain into a chilled Nick and Nora glass.
  2. Garnish with a fennel frond.

Recipe by Hayley Dixon.

Not that tequila is new to the bar trade, nor is it new to your guests. The thing is, good tequila — the quality stuff, made the right way — is actually kinda new to your guests (even if you yourselves have moved on from tequila to mezcal to sotol in the never-ending pursuit of the obscure). Bartenders are at least a good five to 10 years ahead of their guests when it comes to drinks, we reckon.

And a great way to showcase great tequila is in an equally great drink — one that’s made in a format the punter can be persuaded to buy. And is there a more noble and swanky drink than the Martini?

Tasting notes
Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Platino
Pouring a bright silver, there are lifted aromas of agave and light herbaceous and floral aromas on the nose. On the palate, there’s a balance of pepper and soft agave flavours present, leading to a smooth and mellow finish — perfect for sipping.
Proximo Australia

The Banter

  • For over 10 generations, Reserva de la Familia Platino was a family secret only shared with the closest of friends. In 1995, to celebrate their 200-year anniversary, the family decided to share this special blend of exceptional tasting 100% blue weber agave Tequila.
  • Jose Cuervo Platino is the epitome of smoothness and the real definition of agave essence and aromas. To achieve this, Platino is created only from hand-selected estate-grown agave, with only the most flavourful, inner portion of the pina utilised in the cooking and distillation process. Known as Essencia de Agave, this special process is equal to 70 hours cooking time, and is designed to retain and heighten the flavours of the agave.
  • In a blind tasting conducted by the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI), Jose Cuervo Platino was ranked as the number one silver tequila in the world. It received the BTI’s highest rating ever for a silver tequila, a 96, which the tasting panel deemed “superlative”.
  • For more information, on Jose Cuervo, contact your Proximo Australia representative.