Not quite an El Diablo (that has ginger ale) or a Kir Royale (we add tequila and lime juice), but exactly what we want to drink.
About the cocktail
The Tequila Royale is essentially a twist on an old classic called El Diablo – a tequila-based cocktail with lime, cassis and, traditionally, ginger beer. Here, our cocktail experts have given the old El Diablo a Mimosa-style twist, subbing out ginger beer for sparkling wine. The result is a little less sweet and spicy than the El Diablo, and a lot more complex – and evening-worthy. Think of it like a blackcurrant tequila Mimosa, or even a souped-up version of the Kir Royale, which is a mix of Champagne and cassis. Flavour-wise, the Tequila Royale is bubbly and sharp from the sparkling wine, fruity from the cassis, and a little earthy, thanks to reposado tequila. It’s balanced, juicy, fizzy and bright – a perfect blend in our books. Considering its easy-going flavour profile and fancy Champagne flute (or coupe) serving style, we reckon the Tequila Royale is a perfect celebration or holiday cocktail – think evening aperitifs, birthday drinks or family get-togethers. And yes, given its close relation to the Mimosa, you could also whip this up for brunch – just make sure the food matches this cocktail’s elevated style.
Tequila Royale ingredients
30mL reposado tequila 15mL lime juice 15mL cassis 60mL sparkling wine Glass: coupe or flute Garnish: lime wheel and blackberry
Method
Add tequila, lime juice and cassis to a cocktail tin Add cubed ice and give it a short, sharp shake Add the lime wheel to your glass, fill with ice and strain the drink over Top with the sparkling wine Garnish with a skewered blackberry
Dan’s top tips
There’s not much to making a Tequila Royale, which is a big part of its appeal. You do have some choice when it comes to the ingredients, though. The first is sparkling wine. Generally, anything labelled as ‘brut’ will work well, as these wines are usually quite dry with bright acidity, which makes a great foil for the sweet, fruity cassis. Of course, if you prefer things on the sweeter side, definitely go for whichever sweeter style of sparkling wine is your go-to. In these cases, a little extra lime juice can help balance the sweetness, too. The other choice is tequila. Any quality reposado tequila will work well here, but you could also go for a blanco style if you want to dial back some of those woody tequila notes. That’s totally up to you. And when it comes to the cassis, this is a blackcurrant liqueur that is often labelled ‘creme de cassis’. You should be able to find it without too much trouble but, if not, a blackberry or other dark berry liqueur should work well in a pinch.
1. What is the Tequila Royale cocktail?
The Tequila Royale is a cocktail made from reposado tequila, lime juice, cassis and sparkling wine.
2. What is the best tequila for the Tequila Royale?
Any good quality reposado tequila will work well here, so use your favourite. You can also use blanco tequila if you like.
3. What does cassis bring to the Tequila Royale cocktail?
Cassis is a blackcurrant liqueur, which brings sweet berry flavours to the Tequila Royale.
image credits: Kayla May (photography), Bridget Wald (styling).
