The proof that certain potables garnered their abstruse appellations from their components is seldom obvious.
Translation: It's tough to tell sometimes why a drink got the name it did, going by the drink's ingredients.
Why, for example, would a drink composed of Russian vodka and (often) Rose's lime juice be called by a Japanese name?
Why should a libation comprised of Scotch, lemon juice, triple sec, grenadine and an egg white be labeled "Swirling to the Beat of the Haggis Wings"?
Uh, I dunno...the Scotch in it?
That seems pretty flimsy to me.
The reverse is also the case. On occasion, you'll run across what appears to be a "themed" drink: something tropical, with lots of fruit juices or syrups in it, or perhaps something named after a country, whose ingredients conjure up a consistent, vivid mental image. And, lo and behold, said cocktail will contain an oddball ingredient which seems totally out of place.
The incongruousness of the thing might jar you right out of your seat (if the alcohol you've consumed hasn't done that already).
Take the Cactus Bite, for instance.
What's wrong with this picture?
- 2 ounces tequila
- 2 ounces lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Cointreau or triple sec
- 2 teaspoons Drambuie
- ½ teaspoon superfine sugar
- 1 dash bitters
Which doesn't belong here?
If you said "the tequila," please turn off your machine and go jump in a lake. If you said "the Drambuie," congratulations! You win a cookie.
Tequila, as we all know, is made from agave. Agave is not cactus. The two plants aren't even in the same family. But since most desert plants are spiky and the cactus is the most famous of these, the term "cactus juice" has become shorthand for mescal. They have deserts and cactus aplenty in Mexico, and tequila is something Mexico is famous for. So there you go. Obviously this is a Mexican-themed drink. Tequila? Of course. Lemon juice? Yes, you can order a rather nice fillet of tilapia with lemon juice, hecho en Mexico. Triple sec? I don't see why not. They have oranges, too. Sugar and bitters? Not all that conspicuous.
But wait...Drambuie?
Drambuie is aged single-malt whisky, mixed with honey and a blend of spices. It's made in Broxburn, West Lothian, Scotland.
Huh?
What's that doing in a cocktail with a name like "Cactus Bite"?
Where does Drambuie fit into a libation with tequila in it, for crying out loud?
Madre de Dios!
Well, since you asked, I'll tell you. It's doing the same job as wood glue in a rocking chair, or molasses in brickwork. It's not an essential ingredient, but it does help bind everything together. Tequila has its own hot brand of spiciness, to which is added a sour kick (the lemon juice), a sweet citrus undertone (triple sec and sugar), and an aftertaste which is sure to pucker your face inside out (bitters and lemon juice). This would dull the tequila immensely if the Drambuie didn't come winging in from left field during the third inning.
The bases are loaded. Two outs. Drambuie steps up to the plate, poised on the back of your tongue, ready to hit a homer and make it all the way round the bases. He swings and connects. Whack! Whoa! Nobody in the stands saw this coming, folks! Who'd a thunk it? Drambuie comes from nowhere, shoring up Tequila's loss of heat with a little Scotch fire of his own, honey and herbs ensuring that the prior run of Bitters, Sugar and Cointreau didn't go to waste. All four runners make it home, one after the other. The crowd goes wild.
Final score: you have a cocktail which balances spice, sweetness and sourness in equal measure. If you're interested in flavor, but don't want to adulterate the liquors with too many mixers, this may not be the cocktail for you; I'd suggest beefing up the Drambuie and tequila. On the other hand, if you prefer not to taste booze in your drink (shame on you!) simply reduce the ratios and you'll have a sweet-sour summery sort of beverage, fit for sipping on the back porch or kicking your shoes off at the local club.
Oh, the heck with it. What am I saying? You're old enough to judge for yourselves what kind of damn drink you want. I've done my part.
The rest is up to you. Sip a Cactus Bite and enjoy.
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