Vampiro Recipe: Mexico's Spicy Tequila Highball

Ingredients

1¾ oz blanco tequilae.g. Olmeca Altos · Patrón · Don Julio · Espolòn · El Jimador
2¼ oz tomato juice
1 oz orange juice
¼ oz lime juice
1 tsp honey
½ slice onion finely chopped
2 slice red chili
3 drop Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch of salt plus salt for the rim

Garnish: Lime wedge and salt rim · Ice: Ice cubes

Method

Moisten the rim of a highball glass with lime and dip it in salt, then fill it with ice.
Add tequila, tomato juice, orange juice, lime juice, honey, onion, chili, Worcestershire sauce and a pinch of salt to a shaker.
Fill with ice and shake well for about 10 seconds to dissolve the honey.
Strain over the ice in the prepared glass.
Garnish with a lime wedge.

Watch it made

Vampiro

Taste

Savory and fruity at once: sweet orange and ripe tomato, a sharp lime edge, gentle chili heat and a salty, umami finish. Medium strength and very food-friendly.

History and origin

The Vampiro is a Mexican drink that grew out of sangrita, the tart, spicy chaser of orange, lime and chili (and today often tomato) traditionally sipped alongside tequila. In the Vampiro the two are combined in one glass. Its name, Spanish for vampire, refers to its deep blood-red color.

Many versions exist across Mexico: some use bottled sangrita and a grapefruit soda, others build the flavors from fresh juice and chili as in this recipe. Claims about a single inventor or birthplace are not well documented. The International Bartenders Association added the Vampiro to its New Era Drinks, using a spec with tomato, orange and lime juice, honey, onion, chili, Worcestershire sauce and salt.

Bartender tips

Stir the honey into the lime juice before shaking so it does not stick to the ice.
Taste for heat: remove the chili seeds for a milder drink, add a dash of hot sauce for more fire.
Make a small batch of the juice mix a few hours ahead; the onion and chili flavors marry nicely in the fridge.

Variations

Vampiro with grapefruit soda: A common Mexican version: tequila, sangrita and lime, topped with grapefruit soda.
Bloody Maria: Tequila in a Bloody Mary: more tomato, no orange, with pepper and celery salt.
Tequila with sangrita: The traditional way: tequila and sangrita served side by side in two small glasses.