Cocktail Redux - The Braver Bull

I honestly stumbled upon this cocktail accidentally, a happy accident if i might say so myself.    Wanting to try something different, I ventured into Trader Vic’s Pacific Island Cookbook for inspiration.  One potation caught my eye, the Brave Bull - a simple combination of 1 oz. tequila, 1 oz. Kahlua, and lemon peel, a cocktail that was popular in the 60’s and often referred to as the “Black Russian of Mexico”. 

Instead of the stated ingredients, I had variations on hand - Zignum Silver Mezcal, a less smoky style of Mezcal, and Kahlua Midnight, a blend of rum and coffee liqueur that is less sweet than traditional Kahlua.  To replace the citrus I used a quarter of a dropper of Brooklyn Hemispherical Lemon Bitters.  The result is a smooth, bitterly strong cocktail that first tastes of sweet coffee, then the hot smoke of the mezcal offset with the crisp bite of agave, followed by roasted citrus from the bitters.  It’s a surprisingly good cocktail, a modification to a long lost cocktail that has a complex layering of flavors; bitter, smoky, and spicy. 

Here it is, if you are brave, that is:


The Braver Bull

1 oz. Zignum Silver Mezcal

1 oz. Kahlua Midnight

¼ dropper Lemon Brooklyn Hemispherical Bitters

Serve on Ice

Garnish with a Lemon Peel


Enjoy!