21st Century
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 20.1% ABV ∙
The 21st Century is a shaken tequila sour of reposado, white crème de cacao, an aromatized wine such as Lillet Blanc, Blanc Quinquina and lemon juice.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Tequila reposado 45 mlWhite Crème de Cacao 25 mlAromatized wine 20 mlBlanc Quinquina 5 mlLemon juice 5 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Shake hard with large cubes for a full 12–15 seconds; crème de cacao is thick, and it takes a vigorous shake to aerate and chill it.
- At just 5 ml, the Blanc Quinquina is easy to overpour, so measure it exactly; too much pulls the drink away from the reposado and crème de cacao.
History
The 21st Century is a tequila-based riff on the 20th Century Cocktail, created by American bartender Jim Meehan in 2007 while he was at Manhattan's Pegu Club, with the recipe later recorded in his 2011 PDT Cocktail Book. The parent 20th Century was created in 1937 by British bartender C. A. Tuck and first published that year in William J. Tarling's Café Royal Cocktail Book. That original gin sour is said to have been named for the 20th Century Limited, the express train between New York City and Chicago.
Meehan's version swaps tequila for the gin of the original while keeping the crème de cacao, aromatized wine, and lemon structure.
FAQ
What is in a 21st Century cocktail?
Tequila reposado 45 ml, white crème de cacao 25 ml, an aromatized wine such as Lillet Blanc 20 ml, Blanc Quinquina 5 ml and lemon juice 5 ml, shaken. The crème de cacao gives a chocolate note that is unusual in a tequila drink; the wine adds a bitter edge.
Is a 21st Century cocktail shaken or stirred?
Shaken. Crème de cacao is thick, so it needs a hard 12- to 15-second shake with ice to chill, mix and aerate it with the lemon.
What glass is a 21st Century cocktail served in?
A coupe glass, finished with an orange twist.
Is the 21st Century cocktail vegan?
Yes, this recipe is vegan, vegetarian, and lactose-free, and comes in at roughly 213 calories per serving.
What is a 20th Century cocktail?
An older gin cocktail, created in 1937, of gin, white crème de cacao, Lillet Blanc and lemon juice, shaken. The 21st Century is the modern tequila riff on it: reposado in place of gin, plus a little Blanc Quinquina.
