Name: Eclipse (by Leo Robitschek)
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 30 ml Añejo tequila; 22.5 ml Cherry brandy; 22.5 ml Orange-red aperitivo; 22.5 ml Lemon juice; 7.5 ml Mezcal

Ingredients

1 fl oz

Añejo tequila (100% agave)

3/4 fl oz

Cherry (brandy) liqueur

3/4 fl oz

Bittersweet orange-red aperitivo

3/4 fl oz

Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

1/4 fl oz

Del Maguey Vida Clásico Mezcal

How to make

Glassware

Prepare

Select and pre-chill an OLD-FASHIONED GLASS.

No garnish to prepare.

Method

SHAKE first 4 ingredients with ice.

STRAIN into ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice).

FLOAT mezcal.

Garnish

Serve naked, without garnish.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Eclipse (by Leo Robitschek) contains 214 calories

Alcohol content:

1.3 standard drinks
16.12% alc./vol. (32.25° proof)
18.2 grams of pure alcohol

History

The colour of the moon during an eclipse inspired the name of this rusty-orange-red cocktail.

In Jim Meehan & Chris Gall's 2011 The PDT Cocktail Book, the creation of the Eclipse is credited to "Leo Robitschek, New York, Winter 2009."

ECLIPSE COCKTAIL
2 oz. El Tesoro Añejo Tequila
.75 oz. Aperol
.75 oz. Cherry – Heering
.75 oz. Lemon Juice
Shake with ice and strain into a chilled, Del Maguey Vida Mezcal-rinsed coupe
Garnish with a lemon twist
–Leo Robitschek, New York, Winter 2009

Jim Meehan, 2011

When or where, this cocktail morphed from being served in a mezcal-rinsed coupe to being served on-the-rock with a mezcal float is unknown, but some say, it was first served at the 2013 Great GoogaMooga Festival held at Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York. USA.

Comments & Discussion

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Doug James Premium Member 25w

Built the Eclipse this evening and it is very tasty indeed! While many have stated that they find it a bit too sweet, to my palate it’s a perfectly balanced cocktail. After the first sip I added 2 drops of saline (4:1) and one dash of Angostura bitters. The saline really punched up the orange and cherry flavors while the Angostura added a subtle spice that pairs well with the smokiness of the Mezcal. I found this to be a really enjoyable cocktail.

Simon Sedgley Premium Member 2y

Some commenters found this over-sweet. Meehan & Gall specify Aperol whereas, in your specs, you simply indicate the generic "bittersweet orange-red aperitivo". Because of the emphasis on cherry liqueur, we avoided the further sweetening Aperol would have offered and went, instead, with Campari. So when you indicate the generic aperitivo are you leaving it to the discerning drinker to decide according to their own preferences? After all, there is a world of difference between Aperol and Campari.

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member 2y

Our "bittersweet orange-red aperitivo" category encompasses products like Aperol, while our "Italian red bitter liqueur" category is for more alcoholic and bitter products such as Campari. As you say, there is a world of difference between "aperitivo" liqueurs and "bitter" liqueurs.

Simon Sedgley Premium Member 2y

Ah, I see. Thank you for dispelling my confusion. So the bottle of Aperol that appears in the photograph on your Italian red bitter liqueur page might be thought of as a bittersweet orange-red herring. 🙂

Simon Difford Continue thread (1 reply)

J B 2y

Any info on the glass?

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member 2y

Sorry, but shot before I started recording glasses used in photography.

Rick Pilling 3y

I found the recipe too sweet for my pallette, but by adjusting it to 1 tequila: 1 Aperol: 1/2 cherry, 1/2 lime, with the mezcal float, it was nailing it on all fronts.

John Hinojos Premium Member 3y

Liked this, but did find it a bit sweet for our tastes. Added a few drops of Difford's Margarita Bitters and it was much better. Enjoyed the blend and the light use of the mescal. The mescal enhances but does not overpower.

David Teager 3y

Pretty nice. A tequila riff on a Gilroy, which seems oddly absent from the Difford’s catalogue.

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member 3y

Thanks for letting me know about the omission. I've just checked The Savoy and look forward to testing specs. I will be sure to add the Gilroy as soon as I can get Dan here to photograph.

wolfgang Bierke 5y

Bomb AF! Those are my tasting notes. Thank you

Arthur Howe 5y

The PDT Cocktail Book (2011) by Jim Meehan & Chris Gall offers this write-up of the Eclipse: "“To commemorate the rare occurrence, ancient Aztecs used to serve fermented agave to their victims before sacrificing them to the gods. 2 oz El Tesoro Añejo Tequila, .75 oz. Aperol, .75 oz. Cherry Heering, .75 oz. Lemon Juice. Shake with ice and strain into a chilled, Del Maguey Vida Mezcal-rinsed coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist. — Leo Robitsheck, New York, Winter 2009”