Mexican Firing Squad Special

Difford's Guide
Discerning Drinkers (109 ratings)

Serve in a

Highball (max 10oz/300ml)

Photographed in a

Libbey Highball 9oz

Garnish:

Orange slice, pineapple wedge & Luxardo Maraschino Cherry

How to make:

SHAKE all ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass.

2 fl oz Patrón Reposado tequila
2/3 fl oz Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
5/12 fl oz Grenadine/pomegranate syrup
2 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters
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Read about cocktail measures and measuring.

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David Embury's birthday

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Review:

Tequila dominates this lightly citrusy fairly dry classic. The bitters play a key role in both balance and flavour.

It's worth noting that this drink is a sour served in a highball glass but it is not a Highball and should not be topped with soda. A highball glass should be a max capacity of 10oz / 296ml. Use such a glass filled with ice and this recipe will fill to a good washline without need, or room, for a soda top.

Variant:

Nautilus

History:

Adapted from a recipe in Charles H Baker's 1939 The Gentleman's Companion.

MEXICAN 'FIRING SQUAD' SPECIAL, which is a creation we almost became wrecked upon in – of all sorts – LA CUCURACHA BAR, in Mexico City, in 1937.
Now and again we found ourselves just a little fed up with rather casual Mexican mixers, and the guidance of 2 young Mexican caballeros whose parents mattered in official circles in that city of Mexico. We were herded into fancy, rather dull places, served too warm drinks. And finally, on 1 occasion we broke off by ourself, sought out this bar, – where an aristocrat native oughtn't to be seen! ¬– ordered things in our own way.
This drink is based on tequila, top-flight distillation of the Maguey plant. Use a tall collins glass and snap fingers at the consequences. . . . Take 2 jiggers of tequila, being sure to purchase a good brand, for there are many raw distillations. Add the juice of 2 small limes, 1½ to 2 tsp of grenadine, or plain gomme syrup. Add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters. Chill the glass, pack with finely cracked ice, turn in the mixture and garnish with slice of orange, 1 of pineapple and a red cherry.

Charles H Baker, 1939

Nutrition:

One serving of Mexican Firing Squad Special contains 172 calories.

Alcohol content:

  • 1.3 standard drinks
  • 19.17% alc./vol. (38.34° proof)
  • 17.9 grams of pure alcohol
Difford's Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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David Embury's birthday image

David Embury's birthday

The author of that seminal work, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, David Augustus Embury was born on this day in 1886 in Pine Woods, upstate New York. He

Guy Fawkes / Bonfire Night Cocktails image

Guy Fawkes / Bonfire Night Cocktails

Remember, remember the fifth of November Gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason, why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot.

National Nacho Day image

National Nacho Day

Not a fan of nachos? Then today is nacho lucky day! Yes, today is National Nacho Day, a day dedicated to those delicious fried tortilla chips that we love

National Harvey Wallbanger Day image

National Harvey Wallbanger Day

Of all the cocktails to have its very own day, the Harvey Wallbanger is probably the most surprising. But, yes, Harvey Wallbanger Day is a thing in American.

Irish Coffee arrived in America this day image

Irish Coffee arrived in America this day

The splendidly named Stanton Delaplane, a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, may have won a Pulitzer Prize for Reporting, but his legacy remains

Happy Hour Day image

Happy Hour Day

Every hour should be happy but in most bars, this term does not reflect a collective state of joyousness but a period of comparatively cheap booze. Not

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