Recipe: Grown in Mexico, Born in Texas

Recipe
Written By Maggie Yarbrough


Crafted for Carabuena Tequila by Gabe Ford, the “Grown in Mexico, Born is Texas” is our take on an Old Fashioned. In the glass, it feels both familiar and new — velvety chocolate, gentle heat, toasted corn, and a smooth finish. It’s Mexico’s cacao heritage reborn through a Texas Old Fashioned.

Chocolate has been part of Mexico’s story for centuries and was home to the world famous chocoholics, the Aztec culture where it was a drink of ceremony, community, and celebration. It carried meaning far beyond flavor.

That legacy is what inspired this Old Fashioned. We start by infusing Carabuena Añejo with Cocoa Nibs, giving the tequila deep cacao richness. From there, chili liqueur brings warm spice, while elote liqueur adds roasted corn sweetness — both nods to the flavors once mixed into those ancient cacao drinks. A touch of sherry layers in dried fruit richness while mole and Angostura bitters tie it all together with spice and balance.

PREP IT

  • 1.5oz (50ml) Cocoa Nib Infused Añejo

  • 0.5oz (20ml) Ancho Reyes Chili Liqueur

  • 0.5oz (20ml) Nixta Elote Liqueur

  • 0.25oz (10ml) Pedro Ximenez Sherry

  • 2 dash Mole Bitters

  • 1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters

MAKE IT

Add the Cocoa Nib Infused Añejo, Chili Liqueur, Elote Liqueur, and Sherry to a mixing glass. Add 2 dash of Mole Bitters and 1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters. Add ice to the mixing glass & stir 15-20 seconds to chill and dilute. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a Tazzo Chocolate shard.

Recipe: Cocoa Nib Infused Carabuena Añejo Tequila

PREP IT

  • 1 750ml bottle Carabuena Añejo Tequila

  • 40g cocoa nibs

  • 1000ml or larger container with airtight lid

MAKE IT

Add the cocoa nibs and bottle of Carabuena Añejo to your container. We recommend giving the nibs a light toast in a pan just until they’re fragrant. After you’ve placed the cocoa nibs and Añejo in the container, seal and let it sit for 24–36 hours, shaking occasionally and tasting as you go for flavor. Once infused to your liking, strain the tequila through a fine-mesh strainer or coffee filter to catch all of the cocoa nib fragments. Refill your Carabuena bottle or preferred container with the infused Añejo and serve!

¡SALÚD!

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Maggie Yarbrough
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