Next Sunday, February 24, a star-studded cast of Oscar nominees and guests will attend the 91st Academy Awards. After the show, they’ll funnel into the Governors Ball, an annual after party we can only assume is legendary. One of the after-party perks is official Oscars cocktails, and this year, they’re tequila cocktails which are surprisingly accessible to recreate at home.
This year’s celebration will feature two official Don Julio tequila cocktails created by mixologist Charles Joly, himself a nominee of the 2018 James Beard Awards. They are the Rosella, which combines Don Julio Blanco, white vermouth, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and bitters, served in flute over a hibiscus flower and topped with Fever Tree Ginger Beer; and the Ancho Old Fashioned, featuring Don Julio Reposado, chile liqueur, coffee bitters, and demerara syrup, poured into an Old Fashioned glass over a large ice cube with an orange twist.
Maybe you don’t have a fresh hibiscus flower on hand, but with a properly stocked home bar, you can try out (or at least riff on) the official Oscar cocktail recipes*:
The Rosella
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 ounces Tequila Don Julio Blanco
- 1/2 ounces White Vermouth
- 3/4 ounces Fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 5 drops Scrappy’s lavender bitters
- 1 1/2 ounces Fever Tree ginger beer
- Hibiscus flower
- Orange oils
Directions: Combine Tequila Don Julio Blanco, white vermouth, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and bitters into a shaker with ice. Shake gently. Strain into a flute over a hibiscus flower. Top with Fever Tree Ginger Beer and mist with orange oils.
Ancho Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Tequila Don Julio Reposado
- Barspoon of Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
- 3 drops Bittered Sling Arabica Coffee Bitters
- 1/3 ounce Rich Demerara Syrup (2 parts sugar:1 part water)
- Orange oil for mist
- Orange twist for garnish
Directions: Stir Tequila Don Julio Reposado, chile liqueur, coffee bitters and demerara syrup over ice. Pour into an Old Fashioned glass over one large cube. Mist with orange oil and place orange twist decoratively.
Of course, this year’s Academy Awards show also has an official ultra-high-end Champagne: Piper-Heidsieck, a world-renowned Pinot Noir-dominant blend known for its red label. The bottles will don a limited-edition, custom-made label to match the show’s art-deco-inspired, red-and-gold aesthetic — red for the red carpet, gold for the Oscar statue. Iconic.
You may not be in the running for one of cinema’s most prestigious awards, but you can still drink like a winner with these cocktail recipes. If Don Julio isn’t on your bar cart, check out our tequila recommendations for every budget here.
