Don Muerte

One of the random Halloween Cocktail lists I’ve been trolling includes something called a Don Muerte. I have all the necessary ingredients, so let’s make one!

The Recipe: Combine 1.5 oz Tequila Don Julio Blanco, 3/4 oz pineapple juice, 3/4 oz lime juice, 1/4 oz agave nectar, and 1/2 tsp activated charcoal in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with an edible flower.

The Ratings: It’s another black cocktail (c/o the activated charcoal), which is definitely in the Halloween vein, but it’s starting to feel a bit tired. Admittedly, it’s dressed up with an “edible flower,” but I’m not sure that makes this drink look any more like a Halloween cocktail. I’ll give it two points for appearance.

This is a very drinkable cocktail. The blanco tequila is more of a cocktail tequila than a sipping tequila. The pineapple and lime juices add a citrus acidity that is balanced between the pineapple sweetness and the lime tartness. The agave nectar nudges the drink in a sweet direction, which is fine with me. Overall, it’s a very balanced, safe, tasty drink. I give it a solid 3 points for taste.

The name is intriguing, though confusing. Muerte means “death” in Spanish, of course. The “Don” is presumably a reference to the Don Julio. But Don Muerte is also a character in a video game called Free Fire (or so I infer from an internet search; I have no firsthand experience with it). I’ll give the name 1.5 out of 2 points, although I don’t totally understand what’s going on.

Grand Total: 6.5 points

Note: Doesn’t Don Muerte remind you of the mummy in Bubba Ho-Tep?

OK, you know you want to watch that movie, don’t you? Here’s the trailer: