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Plaza Vieja

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (44)
Plaza Vieja image
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
1 fl oz Cognac (brandy)
1 fl oz Del Maguey Vida Clásico Mezcal
1 fl oz Lucano amaro
1⁄3 fl oz Bénédictine D.O.M. liqueur
1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters
2 drop Saline solution (20g sea salt to 80g water) or pinch of salt

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

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How to make

Glass

Photographed in an Urban Bar Fluet Old Fashioned 1920 34cl

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill an OLD-FASHIONED GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of star anise.

Method

  1. STIR all ingredients with ice.
  2. STRAIN into ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice).

Garnish

  1. Garnish with star anise floated on surface.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Plaza Vieja contains 242 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 2.1 standard drinks
  • 29.14% alc./vol. (58.28° proof)
  • 29.3 grams of pure alcohol

Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

History

Plaza Vieja is Spanish for 'old square' and this cocktail is a riff on the classic Vieux Carré, old square in French.

Adapted from a recipe created in 2013 by Joe Cammarata and Sam Treadway at Backbar, Somerville, MA, USA. Originally made with Braulio Amaro.

Review

A spirit-forward and bittersweet digestive with pleasing herbal overtures.

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$3.47 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 25 cocktails.
Shipping and applicable tax calculated at checkout.


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* May not include all ingredients. Price per cocktail is an estimate based on cost of one cocktail with ingredients shown above and does not include shipping.

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Gallery

Comments & Discussion

Matt Premium Member
A very nice, but quite boozy-hot cocktail. Primarily a mezcal cocktail, but the fruity notes of cognac, some interesting and bitter complexity from the amaro, and sweetness from the Benedictine are all present and work well together. A very nice sipper.
score: 0
Andy Parnell-Hopkinson
New mezcal, different outcome but still stand by my original comment: very grown up drink.
score: 1
Caspian Berggren Premium Member
I used 2:1 OP Spanish brandy and Cognac in order for it to stand up to the rest of the ingredients, yet I think I should've gone all in on the OP Spanish brandy. You can tell it's there but it's very soft and quiet behind the loud Mezcal and Lucano. It softens over time but I still think it's a bit too Mezcal forward (at least with the Del Maguey Vida).
score: 1
Mark Fraioli Premium Member
The amaro matters. I didn’t have any Lucano, so I subbed in Averna. That didn’t work, too syrupy. Then I went out and got myself a bottle of Baulio (Simon mentions that the original Treadway recipe actually called for Braulio, not Lucano). This made a huge difference— not too sweet, plenty of piney “alpine” notes. Definitely a keeper!
score: 1
Mookie Premium Member
this is almost too rich, gonna play around with the proportions because it's *really good*
score: 1
amauri Diaz
Awesome. Good complexity
score: 1
John CARR Premium Member
Presumably a riff on a Vieux Carré?
score: 1

View 8 comments and discussion

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Difford’s Shop logo
$3.47 per cocktail*

Makes a minimum of 25 cocktails.
Shipping and applicable tax calculated at checkout.


Orders are processed by a licensed Fulproof retailer. The buy now button is added simply for convenience.

Checkout

* May not include all ingredients. Price per cocktail is an estimate based on cost of one cocktail with ingredients shown above and does not include shipping.

Visit Difford’s Shop USA

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