Name: 21st Century (Difford's recipe)
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 45 ml Reposado tequila; 25 ml White crème de cacao; 20 ml Aromatized wine; 5 ml Blanc quinquina/kina; 5 ml Lemon juice

Ingredients

1 1/2 fl oz

Patrón Reposado tequila

5/6 fl oz

Giffard White Crème de Cacao Liqueur

2/3 fl oz

Aromatized wine (e.g. Lillet Blanc)

1/6 fl oz

Blanc quinquina/kina (e.g. Mattei Cap Corse, Bonal, Kina L'Aéro)

1/6 fl oz

Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

How to make

Glassware

Prepare

Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.

Prepare garnish of orange zest twist.

Method

SHAKE all ingredients with ice.

FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of 21st Century (Difford's recipe) contains 205 calories

Alcohol content:

1.6 standard drinks
21.07% alc./vol. (42.14° proof)
22.6 grams of pure alcohol

History

I discovered the 21st Century, a tequila-based 20th Century Cocktail during Lockdown, in time for the 16th edition of our book. Regrettably, I didn't record where online I found it but it was only in December 2022 when I learnt, from the creator himself, that Jim Meehan created the tequila-based 21st Century Cocktail back in 2007 during his tenure at Manhattan's famous Pegu Club. A time before tequila's rise in popularity and before aromatised wines such as Cocchi Americano were imported into the USA.

Review

I revisited this cocktail in December 2022 when Jim Meehan made me aware of his, original 21st Century and I changed from Joerg Meyer's 20th Century spec to a recipe based on my favoured Twentieth Century (but with tequila as the base), the key difference being the aromatised wine used. For the record, the previous recipe on this page (without "Difford's recipe" in the title) comprised:
50 ml Reposado tequila
30 ml White crème de cacao
30 ml Cocchi Americano Bianco
10 ml Lemon juice

I also retested my preference for reposado rather than blanco tequila but I still favour the rounding effect of reposado in this cocktail.

Comments & Discussion

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trendomexico 1 day ago

I will stand to give applause! Delicious, one of my favorites in life is the 20th, but this is one place even further into heaven. This Difford's version is remarkable: the reposado wow.

Chris Dimal 4 months ago

Pretty interesting variation of the 20th Century. Definitely an after-dinner drink, but I loved the interesting complexity that the original has. The intersection of an aperitif and digestif (almost Alexander-like quality here) that the gin gets, alongside the increased lemon juice.

Morten Carlsbaek 1 year ago

Wonderfull fresh fruity and filling//full bodied cocktail for this Copenhagen warm afternoon.
Didn't have Lillet Blanc so used 15 ml Chazalettes Vermouth Blanco and 5 ml Cocchi Americano Blanco instead.
And no oranges at hand, used one drop of Bob's orange & mandarin bitter.
Highly recommend for slow afternoon.

John CARR 1 year ago

Profound depth of flavour. A modern classic, although one must have an appreciation for vegetal and savoury flavours, which are very much in evidence here.

Chris Brislawn 3 years ago

We like Simon's anise-free approach, which hews closer to the 20th Century cocktail, but are confused by the use of BOTH Lillet Blanc and "Kina aromatised wine" (type unspecified). I've gotten very good results using 1.75 oz reposado (blanco tequila would also work), 0.25 oz lemon juice, 0.75 oz creme de cacao, and 0.75 oz either Cocchi Americano Bianco or Luxardo Bitter Bianco, garnished with a lemon twist. I also add 2 dashes Fee Bros. celery bitters. Sweet enough, but complex.

John CARR 1 year ago

Or a certain Kina L’aero d’Or, perhaps?

Herbert Brant 3 years ago

Exceptional! Amazing combination of rich flavors, sour and sweet. I'll be making this one of my signature cocktails.

John Hinojos 4 years ago

What a perfect after dinner drink. Wonderful blends of tastes. Nice hint of cocoa, but not overpowering.

Stephan Gröhn 4 years ago

Very good also with Calle 23 Anejo and Cap Corse Quinquina blanc!

Derwood Fiddlesticks 5 years ago

Made using Anejo Tequila and Lillet - fantastic!

Steven Jepson 5 years ago

I went with what I have: Arette Anejo Tequila and Lillet Blanc. This will now become a firm favourite. Smooth, powerful with the cacao coming through in the after taste.