Passionfruit Margarita

Chinola (chee-noh-lah) is a brand of liqueur from the Dominican Republic it’s made with fresh fruit and rum and it comes in several different flavors: passionfruit, pineapple, and mango.

I’ve found that this brand is not nearly as sweet as some liqueurs that taste stewed or artificial, which I really enjoy. Balancing a cloying liqueuer is the worst. I prefer to add sweetness with syrups and let the rest of the ingredients drive the flavor.

Unfortunately, no.

Chinola Passionfruit has a distinct tartness and earthiness that I haven’t found in other liqueurs, particularly with passionfruit. I know Passoã is another popular brand and it is cheaper, but it’s not a good substitution. Passoã is very sweet and only mildy tart. The passionfruit flavor in this cocktail would definitely not be the same without the Chinola. If I were going to attempt a substitute for the Chinola, I’d sooner “mad scientist style” mix fresh passionfruit, orgeat, and rum than reach for Passoã.

Velvet Falernum Liqueur is a sweet syrup with added rum to make an 11% ABV liqueur. It has flavors of lime, almond, ginger, and other warming spices. And, it’s a great way to add a tropical and aromatic touch to cocktails, including this one.

The next time a cocktail recipe uses simple syrup, consider switching it out for Falernum syrup. Falernum is a sweeter than a simple syrup, and about the viscosity of a rich simple syrup (2:1 sugar to water), so use that note accordingly when tinkering

Bitters are made from taking a high-proof spirit and adding fruit, spices and/or botanicals until they infuse into the liquor. Think of bitters the way you think of spices in cooking. They are not solid, main ingredients. But, they can still shape the flavor to an overall dish or in this case beverage.

I use Angostura bitters in this cocktail. However you can use tiki or aromatic bitters as well. Third runners up include bitters with spice (fire, fuego, pineapple/jalapeño, Jamaican jerk, etc.) or ginger bitters.

For this cocktail I recommend using reposado tequilas. Reposado tequilas are going to have some additional flavorings from the barrels they rested in, like caramel, vanilla, and oak, which blend well in tiki cocktails. Reposados also taste more of cooked agave, thanks to the aging process. That flavor will give the cocktail a nice warmth not present in a blanco tequila. I would look for tasting notes that match the cocktail as a whole but aren’t overly sweet to start. Think Santera, Tres Agaves, Código, El Tesoro, Siete Leguas, G4, Volans, and Cazcanes.

Of Note: I used Tres Agaves when crafting this cocktail.

Sure can! This cocktail is easily multiplied. Just keep in mind two things:

1. If the lime juice is added at the time it is mixed, a passionfruit margarita should be batched no more than 8-hours in advance. If you plan to make it even earlier, wait to add the citrus. Freshness is key when it comes to citrus juices, because their flavor goes off as they oxidize (about 24 hours). So it’s best to pre-mix the other ingredients and then squeeze and mix in the lime juice just before or up to several hours before serving, to ensure optimal flavors.

2. If you plan to pour your pre-chilled passionfruit margaritas straight from the refrigerator or freezer into a glass, do the following… Add in 15ml (.5oz or 1tbsp) of water per cocktail into the mix before chilling. So, if you batch 6 cocktails, add 90ml (3oz or 6tbsps) of water. This acts as the shaking step, where you chill and dilute to balance the cocktail. Without the water, your cocktail will be very strong.

A Little EXTRA because I like you…

If you want to find your personal preference for dilution follow these steps:
1. pour the drink as written;
2. stir with ice until you are happy with the flavor;
3. pour the liquid back into a measuring cup;
4. subtract the original measurement from what is now in the glass,

That amount is your water “dilution” preference amount. Scale from there!

Two reasons that basically do the same thing:

2. Most cocktails with citrus juices are shaken, not stirred. Shaken cocktails end up with tiny ice chips in the shaker that will slip through just the hawthorne strainer.

1. And the obivious answer; it also takes the citrus pulp out of the juice.

If you don’t mind the initial texture of the ice chips, feel free to strain the juice after you squeeze it but before you add it into the shaker. I do not recommend you skip straining the juice. While some like pulp, it can throw off the balance of flavors in your cocktail when extra lime hits the tastebuds. Pulp in great in your morning OJ, but not the best in your handcrafted cocktail.