Stay Awake for the Siesta Cocktail

Mexico and Italy, more than 6,000 miles and an ocean apart, are the opposite of neighbors. However, maps don’t matter when it comes to mixology….

The two distant countries form a cocktail pact in the Siesta, a drink crafted with both Mexico’s tequila and Italy’s Campari. And the best part? This meeting of nations can happen in a glass anywhere in the world.

The Siesta cocktail blends five ingredients to create a tipple that’s simultaneously fun and sophisticated. Its festive pink color provides a vibrant visual escape while the cocktail’s complex combination of bitter, sweet and citrus flavors provides complexity.

Discover more colorful cocktails.

Although the Siesta has a combination of liquors that make both Italy and Mexico proud, its roots aren’t in either of those countries. Instead, the Siesta is a native of New York City.

Katie Stipe was ahead of her time when she crafted the first Siesta with tequila and Campari at the now closed Flatiron Lounge in 2006. At that time, neither tequila nor Campari was as popular as they are today.

Stipe was probably inspired by Cuba’s Hemingway Daiquiri since the two drinks are somewhat similar. She replaced the Hemingway’s Daiquiri’s rum and maraschino liqueur with the aforementioned tequila and Campari – a seemingly simple move that delivered big results.

While we prefer the Siesta’s balanced flavor over the Hemingway Daiquiri’s more citrusy punch, you’ll have to sip both sour cocktails to find your personal favorite between the two.

Discover more sour cocktails to craft at home.

Crafting a Siesta cocktail shouldn’t cause fatigue. If it does, you can take a siesta after you gather the following necessary ingredients:

Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.

You can use your favorite blanca (i.e. clear) tequila in this recipe. We used Jose Cuerva Especial since that’s the Mexican tequila that was in our home bar. You can use a better tequila like Patron if that’s how you roll. However, you’ll definitely want to use Campari since there’s no substitute for the iconic Italian bitter.

Discover more Campari cocktails as well as more Tequila cocktails.

The first step in this recipe is to measure tequila and Campari and pour both into a shaker. We use a Japanese jigger to ensure accurate measurements and avoid spillage.

Buy a Japanese jigger from Amazon if you need a jigger or want an inexpensive upgrade.

Pour simple syrup into the shaker. While it’s possible to buy simple syrup online, we prefer to make simple syrup at home.

Pro Tip
Make simple syrup by mixing equal parts of water and sugar in a saucepan and bringing the mixture to a boil until the sugar is just dissolved. Remove from heat immediately and let cool.

After you sip your Siesta drink and take a siesta, you may be energized to try one or all of the following Siesta alternatives:

Discover 10 essential bar tools for the home mixologist.

Frequently Asked Questions

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