21st Century
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 22.6% ABV ∙
The 21st Century is a shaken tequila cocktail built with white crème de cacao, an aromatized wine, Blanc Quinquina, and lemon, served up in a coupe. Cocoa and citrus trade off first, then the wine's bittersweet herbal edge settles in, finishing dry rather than dessert-like — a slow sipper for after dinner.
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 with ice
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Shake hard for a full 12-15 seconds with large cubes since the crème de cacao adds viscosity and needs vigorous agitation to fully aerate and chill.
- Fine-strain into the chilled coupe to remove any ice shards, since the small lemon juice portion means the drink relies on clarity for its silky texture.
- Measure the Blanc Quinquina precisely since its small volume is easy to overpour, which throws off the balance against the reposado and crème de cacao.
- Express the orange twist over the surface before dropping it in, releasing citrus oils that complement the aromatized wine without adding extra sweetness.
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 2012 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, a recipe compendium produced for the United Kingdom Bartenders' Guild. That original gin sour is said to have been named for the 20th Century Limited, the famed express train that ran between New York City and Chicago from 1902 to 1967. Meehan's version swaps in tequila for the gin and Lillet of the original, adapting the classic's structure into one of the earliest widely adopted tequila riffs on a pre-Prohibition-era-style cocktail.
FAQ
What is in a 21st Century cocktail?
Tequila reposado, white crème de cacao, an aromatized wine such as Lillet Blanc, Blanc Quinquina, and lemon juice, shaken and served up. The crème de cacao gives it a chocolate note that's unusual for a tequila drink, balanced by the wine's bitter edge and the lemon's acidity.
Is a 21st Century cocktail shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The lemon juice and crème de cacao need the aeration and quick chill of a shake to blend smoothly and avoid a flat, syrupy texture.
What glass is a 21st Century cocktail served in?
A coupe glass, served up with an orange twist and no ice.
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?
The 20th Century is a different, older gin-based cocktail made with gin, white crème de cacao, Lillet Blanc, and lemon juice, shaken and served up. The 21st Century is a modern tequila-based riff that keeps the crème de cacao and citrus but swaps the gin for tequila reposado and adds Blanc Quinquina.
What is a classic 1920s cocktail?
Classic cocktails associated with the 1920s include the Sidecar, the Bee's Knees, the French 75, and the Last Word, many of which relied on flavorful mixers to mask the rough bootleg spirits of Prohibition. The 20th Century, a gin and crème de cacao cocktail from which the 21st Century takes its name and structure, also dates to this era.
