Rosita
A bitter and sweet tequila cocktail ∙ Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 23.7% ABV ∙
The Rosita is a stirred, tequila-based riff on the Negroni, mixing tequila reposado with a red bitter, dry vermouth, and sweet vermouth.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Tequila reposado 45 mlRed bitter 15 mlDry vermouth 15 mlRosso vermouth 15 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 1 dash (opt.)
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Express a grapefruit twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Stir with plenty of ice for about 30 seconds, so the tequila gets properly cold and no longer sits apart from the two vermouths.
History
The Rosita's own trail is famously tangled. It surfaced in print in the 1974 edition of the Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide, with no inventor recorded, then reappeared in bartender Gary "Gaz" Regan's 1991 book The Bartender's Bible. Regan later wrote that he had drawn the recipe from an earlier Mr. Boston edition and tweaked it, adding more tequila and a dash of bitters, though for years he did not connect his own book's Rosita to the drink circulating under that name.
The Rosita is built on the Negroni. The Rosita reworks that formula by replacing the gin with tequila, giving the classic Negroni a Mexican-inflected, agave-forward turn.
FAQ
How does a Rosita differ from a Negroni?
A Rosita swaps the Negroni's gin for tequila reposado and splits the vermouth between dry and sweet, where a Negroni uses sweet vermouth alone. It tastes earthier, with agave in place of juniper, and takes a grapefruit twist instead of the Negroni's usual orange peel.
How do you make a Rosita cocktail?
Stir 45 ml tequila reposado with 15 ml each of a red bitter such as Campari, dry vermouth and sweet vermouth, plus an optional dash of Angostura bitters. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass, express a grapefruit twist over the top and drop it in.
