The cocktail resurgence of the early 2000s persists, with well-crafted cocktails now a staple on bar menus. Bartenders are known for using herbs and vegetables, including cilantro, to enhance drink flavors. Recently, cilantro has gained prominence, partly due to the launch of a bottled cilantro spirit by Empirical Spirits, based in Brooklyn, N.Y. This spirit, featuring a base of French wheat with cilantro, lime, and tomatillo, is becoming a favored tool among bartenders.
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Marshall Minaya, from Lolita in New York City, highlights the spirit's balance and aroma. Lolita's No Güey cocktail combines Empirical Cilantro with sotol, nori liqueur, bitters, and mezcal. Minaya notes cilantro's compatibility with agave flavors, aligning with the current demand for agave spirits. He prefers cilantro as a complementary ingredient, especially with green peppers.
Dear Strangers in New York's Greenwich Village features cilantro and coriander seeds in its Star Treatment cocktail, which includes sotol, lemon grass, ginger, pineapple, coconut milk, and lime juice. Ivan Radulovic, co-founder, reports positive guest feedback, with the cocktail's complexity appealing to patrons.
Gabe Sanchez of Midnight Rambler in Dallas uses cilantro in the El Nopal cocktail, finding its sharpness balanced by nopal's softer notes. Meanwhile, Licorería Limantour in Mexico City and NoMad London also incorporate cilantro into their cocktail offerings.
Despite cilantro's divisive nature, bartenders like Minaya note its undeniable presence in cocktails. "Cilantro is a well-known flavor," he said. "If you like it, you love it. So if you see it in a cocktail, it stands out to you."
Source: Restaurant Hospitality