10… 9… 8… New Year’s Eve is almost upon us! It’s time to celebrate the good things that have happened and the good things that are yet to come. It’s time to get ready to pop the bubbly!

 

Do it slightly differently this year by inviting tequila to the party. That’s right, tequila and sparkling wine are great companions, as both are serious about having fun!

 

We’re going to show you how to make the perfect end of year cocktail that uses both tequila and sparkling wine.

 

We call it the Amber Blade, and it’s exclusive to Olmeca.

 

Ingredients for Our Tequila and Sparkling Wine Drink

Your Olmeca Amber Blade has all the ingredients you need to set off the fireworks for any huge celebration!

  • 10 ml Olmeca Blanco Tequila
  • 10 ml Strawberry liqueur
  • 10 ml Orange juice
  • Sparkling wine

 

How to Make a Tequila with Sparkling Wine Shot

Olmeca’s Amber Blade is easy to make, but make sure you have them ready in time for when the clock strikes midnight. You don’t want to miss the party!

  1. Pour the Olmeca, strawberry liqueur, and orange juice into a shot glass.
  2. Your glass will still have space left at the top of it.
  3. Now, carefully layer the sparkling wine on top of this mix. The two liquids will now be clearly defined.
  4. There you have it! Raise shot glasses in the air, and toast your friends and family!

 

Tips for Drinking the Perfect Sparkling Wine and Tequila Recipe

It’s not like you need any pointers when it comes to having the best time, so here are some tips for making the best Amber Blade:

  • You want to use a standard shot glass which is 44 ml. As you can work out if you’re mathematically inclined, our recipe, after adding the other ingredients, reserves 14ml of space for the bubbly.
  • There are so many options for garnishing your drink. Limes and salt are always great, but NYE doesn’t come around too often! So, give your tequila and sparkling wine the chance to mingle with new friends. When it comes to fruits, you can try orange peel, grapefruit, or pineapple, instead of lime. Thinking beyond fruit? You can rim the glass with jalapeno, or even put the juice of the chilli inside the drink for extra kick! You can go all classy-like and use thinly sliced cucumber. Or you can even go epicurean, and add a sprig of rosemary for that one-of-a-kind taste!
  • The Olmeca Amber Blade uses the layering technique. This allows the sparkling wine to stay suspended above the rest of the drink in the glass without mixing. After you’ve poured the first three ingredients into your shot glass, hold a bar spoon (upside down) over the glass, so that spoon’s tip rests gently on the inner edge of the glass, and it’s just above the first layer. Then slowly pour the sparkling wine onto the back of the spoon, moving the spoon up as the glass fills. Master this technique, as there’s a long list of layered tequila drinks you can make all-year round.
  • Use a bar spoon. It is great because, while you can use any spoon, the bowl of a bar spoon is thin, so it fits inside most glasses, including shot glasses. The long handle of the spoon also helps with balance and keeps your hand steady, a nifty trick, especially if you’ve already had one too many Old Year’s Night drinks!

 

Variations of This Olmeca Amber Blade

Variety is the spice of life! So, do some internet sleuthing, and experiment with your choice of tastes and flavours.

 

Here are two to get you started:

  • Budget no issue? Hey, why didn’t you say? Use champagne with tequila instead of sparkling wine. This’ll add sophistication to your party! Side note: Did you know that by law, real Champagne can only come from the Champagne region of France. That’s just like tequila. Genuine tequila can only come from the Mexican state of Jalisco, exactly where Olmeca Tequila comes from!
  • You can also go upmarket on your choice of tequila. An excellent match for this tequila and champagne drink recipe calls for using Olmeca Reposado Tequila. With its fruity, sweet, and slightly woody flavours, and aged in ex-bourbon casks for at least 5 months, this is for the true tequila connoisseur.

 

When is the Best Time to Drink a Bubbly Tequila Shot?

Tequila with sparkling wine or champagne are best suited for life’s celebrations. We’ve talked so far about drinking it on NYE, but there are many other opportunities:

  • Birthday parties
  • Christmas parties
  • Matric rages
  • Passing your exams
  • Your first pay cheque
  • Going on a date with the boy or girl of your dreams!

 

On a more expert note, did you know that best time to drink champagne, and really appreciate its taste, is between 11am to 1pm. It’s because one’s mouth tends to be drier and untainted by other flavours of the day, which is the most fertile time for bubbly!

 

Best Tequila for Our Sparkling Wine and Tequila Recipe

Your best tequila for the Olmeca Amber Blade is Olmeca Blanco, with its fresh herbal and green pepper scent and citrus notes at the end. Needless to say, it comes from the Los Altos highlands of Jalisco, Mexico.

 

So, what are you waiting for? You’ve finished reading, so get to the bottle store, get your ingredients, do your magic, and PARRRRTY!