As part of our cornerstone series on cocktails that highlight mezcal and other Mexican spirits, Tess Rose explores the winning combination of sotol, vanilla, and unsweetened chocolate.
The days are finally getting longer but there is still a chill in the air, and that’s more than enough reason to incorporate a comforting treat. A classic pairing of chocolate and agave is a standby favorite, and is easy to tweak into something just new enough to be exciting, yet familiar enough to retain its warming appeal. Swappings sotol for agave further highlights the bright and high-toned astringency of cacao. While playing around with ideas for a winter sotol cocktail, I came up with this warming winter drink that plays into the savory side of chocolate. Without sweetness as the primary flavor, the delicate floral and caramelized earthy notes are front and center, while also playing nice with any diets that reduce refined sugars.
While most people are familiar with chocolate as a sweet treat, whether as a drink, a confection, or ingredient, its history indicates that it was first consumed as a mostly bitter and astringent drink, enjoyed as a stimulant and health booster. Along the same lines as black coffee, cacao can be enjoyed for its rich texture and complex layers of flavors, including caramelized notes from the toasting process. Most of us won’t have access to cacao that has been processed the traditional way, toasted on a comal and ground in a metate. It would be ideal to source unsweetened chocolate from Mexico, but an almost zero sugar added chocolate like this disc from Taza, is a good option, and any high quality zero sugar chocolate would work well here too. Pro traveler tip: stock up on high quality unsweetened chocolate when in Mexico. That way, you prioritize the most precious resource (the chocolate) by weight, without adding extra weight or volume from sugar; you can always add your own desired level of sugar at home.
I was inspired by the roasted earthy flavors of Casa Lotos, an easy sipping sotol from Chihuahua. The profile is mild enough that it doesn’t compete awkwardly with the layers of complexity from cacao, and sturdy enough not to get completely lost. An almost briney sea salt quality highlights the natural minerality of chocolate while also coaxing out fruity and floral undertones. This recipe is for those who enjoy a bitter and astringent drink. For those who are tempted but typically only enjoy sweet milky versions of chocolate or coffee (looking at you pumpkin spice latte drinkers), it’s okay to add a splash of cream and extra sugar so that it suits your taste–just know that it might lose some complexity.
Bitter Spiked Chocolate Recipe
Ingredients
- 100 grams unsweetened chocolate
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1.5 cups water, boiled and cooled for 1 minute
- 1 oz Casa Lotos Sotol
Method
- Add chocolate, vanilla, salt, and honey to a cup that retains heat well, ideally a clay mug with bowled sides.
- Pour in the hot water and cover, let sit for 2 minutes.
- Stir or mix with a handheld frother until well combined
- Adjust for desired level of sweetness,
- Add sotol, and enjoy while hot.
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