Servings: 1
Held recently at La Casa Dragones in San Miguel de Allende, Casa Dragones’ annual Jamming Sessions competition challenged bartenders to create cocktails using local ingredients, celebrating the same soil where agave and Mexican produce thrive. This year, eight top bartenders competed, with judging by industry leaders like José Luis León (Licorería Limantour, #9 on North America’s 2025 Best Bars) and Fabiola Padilla (Bekeb, #49 on the 2025 World’s Best Bars). Alfredo Pineda Fernández of Waldorf Astoria Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas took the top prize with two standout cocktails featuring native flavors, "Le Petite Dragon" was one of his winning creations.
Ingredients
For the cocktail:
- 45 ml Casa Dragones Blanco infused with hoja santa
- 15 ml yellow Chartreuse
- Prickly pear soda to top
- Garnish: Orange twist and basil flower
For hoja santa infusion:
- 500 ml Casa Dragones Blanco
- 1 hoja santa leaf
For prickly pear soda:
- 500 ml prickly pear juice
- 250 ml water
- Agave syrup to taste
- Juice of 1 yellow lemon
Instructions
Prepare hoja santa–infused tequila:
- Add hoja santa leaf to 500 ml of Casa Dragones Blanco.
- Sous vide at 55°C for 30 minutes, or macerate at room temperature for 3–4 hours. Strain and store.
Make prickly pear soda:
- Combine prickly pear juice with water.
- Sweeten with agave syrup to taste.
- Add lemon juice, carbonate with a siphon or CO₂ tank, and chill.
Assemble the cocktail:
- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Pour in 45 ml hoja santa–infused tequila and 15 ml yellow Chartreuse.
- Top with prickly pear soda.
- Stir gently to mix.
- Garnish with an orange twist and a basil flower.
Notes
Pro Tips
- If you can’t find hoja santa, fresh tarragon or anise hyssop can provide similar herbal notes.
- Chill the soda before topping to keep carbonation longer.
- Use clear ice cubes for a more refined presentation.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and let us know how it was!