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Rosita

Aperitivo/aperitif · Bittersweet (e.g. Negroni) · Classic/vintage

4.8 276 ratings

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Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Reposado tequila
1/2 oz Red bitter liqueur
1/2 oz Dry vermouth
1/2 oz Rosso/sweet vermouth
1 dash Aromatic bitters
2 drop Saline solution 4:1

How to make

Serve in a old-fashioned glass

Prepare

  1. 1 Select and pre-chill an OLD-FASHIONED GLASS.
  2. 2 Prepare garnish of grapefruit zest twist.

Method

  1. 3 STIR all ingredients with ice.
  2. 4 STRAIN into ice-filled glass.

Garnish

  1. 5 EXPRESS grapefruit zest twist over cocktail and use as garnish.

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Flavour profile

23.5% alc./vol. · 1.5 standard drinks · 175 calories

History

Bittersweet, tequila-based, and Negroni-like. Classically garnished with lemon zest, but better with grapefruit.

The origins of this drink are not definitively known, but its current popularity is credited to Gary 'Gaz' Regan. This is despite his initial reluctance to acknowledge its provenance. A fellow cocktail enthusiast introduced Rosita to Regan in 2005. This individual had reportedly found the recipe in an article by drinks writer Terry Sullivan. Regan inquired about the source, but Sullivan could not recall. Regan then set the matter aside until 2007, when he served the cocktail as an aperitif to friends. When asked about the drink's origins, Regan re-contacted Sullivan, who then remembered finding the recipe in The Bartender's Bible. Published in 1991, this was Regan's own first book, a fact that caused some amusement. Regan, who had documented countless cocktails, had apparently overlooked his own work. He located his research notes for The Bartender's Bible, revealing that the recipe had been taken from a 1988 edition of the Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide. Regan admitted to adding his own signature touches: a dash of bitters and an increased measure of tequila. Further investigation has traced the recipe back to a 1974 edition of the Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide. ROSITA 1 oz Old Mr. Boston Tequila ½ oz Dry Vermouth ½ oz Sweet Vermouth 1 oz Campari Stir in old-fashioned glass with cracked ice. Add a twist of lemon peel and serve with short straws.

Created by Gary 'gaz' Regan