Name: Esmeralda
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 50 ml Cachaça; 10 ml Peated malt whisky; 15 ml Elderflower liqueur; 15 ml Lime juice; 7.5 ml Sugar syrup (2:1)

Esmeralda
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Photographed in a Waterford Mixology Coupe Clear

Ingredients:
1 ²⁄₃ oz	Cachaça
¹⁄₃ oz	Torabhaig Peated Single Malt Whisky
¹⁄₂ oz	Elderflower liqueur
¹⁄₂ oz	Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
¹⁄₄ oz	Monin Pure Cane Syrup (65.0°brix, equivalent to 2:1 rich syrup)

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
Prepare garnish of lime wedge.
SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
Garnish with lime wedge.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

Cachaça, lime and elderflower with a smoky hit of Islay whisky.

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History:

Adapted from a recipe originally created by Ben Sandrof at Drink, Boston, USA.

More cocktails by Ben Sandrof

Nutrition:

One serving of Esmeralda contains 199 calories

Alcohol content:

1.4 standard drinks
20.81% alc./vol. (20.81° proof)
20.3 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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Simon Sedgley

13th January at 12:35

We love this cocktail and think the combination of the "two ruffians" is inspired. But much as we love peated Scotch, the 10ml prescribed here is too much for our taste and we dial it back to 7.5ml or 5ml. Perhaps it's Islay's Lagavulin that we use that is too much of an alpha ruffian here.

Daniel Jones

8th March 2024 at 07:06

It was a very well balanced cocktail for me in the sweet to dry/sour range. This is an incredibly useful scale I've only seen used on this cocktail site that has led me to find many cocktails right in that 'sweet spot' for me. That being said I didn't enjoy the combination of St. Germain Elderflower liqueur & Novo Fogo silver Cachaça for a reason I can't quite describe. Like John said it does get better as it sits for a few minutes, maybe from temperature change or just settling.

Avery Garnett

2nd July 2023 at 19:11

Tasty, but I don't get much of the elderflower or lime or anything except (balanced!) cachaca and peated whisky.

Calvin Grant

31st January 2023 at 02:48

Simply delicious and way more complex than my first sip revealed. Is Esmeralda the elderflower in a polyamorous affair with funky cachaça and peaty scotch? Three assertive flavors in atomic harmony here.

John Hinojos

22nd September 2022 at 00:29

First sip tasted a bit medicinal. However, after letting it breathe and relax, it is quite pleasant. The tastes blend well together. I used a Clairin from Haiti as it is the closest to Cachaca that I can find in my liquor stores. It is also made from raw sugar cane.

Lawrence Becker

30th May 2022 at 21:45

We being less cachaça than Scotch drinkers, I made the ratio 4:2 instead of the called-for 5:1. Suited us fine. But I WILL try the original recipe next time. And thanks; would never have come up with this on my own!

Anonymous

1st October 2021 at 16:01

I don't have Cachaca, is Rhum JM ok to substitute?

John Hinojos

22nd September 2022 at 00:29

Sorry that has a typo. Should be Clairin

John Hinojos

22nd September 2022 at 00:25

I have found the unaged rhums from Haiti to be closer. Clarin makes some wonderful ones.

Rebecca Jeanson

10th November 2020 at 01:23

note for myself: I only did 1 oz cachaca as that's all I had, and the cocktail was a bit odd. sour. cut the sugar as these cocktails are often too sweet but maybe I should have left it in?