Pancho Villa

COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS:
- 45 ml Aged Rum
(Preferably Santa Teresa 1796)
- 15 ml Gin
(Preferably Bombay Sapphire)
- 15 ml Apricot Liqueur
- 15 ml Cherry Liqueur
(Preferably Cherry Heering)
- 22,5 ml Pineapple Juice
- 7,5 ml Fresh Lime Juice
- Soda (Chilled)

GARNISH:
- Pineapple Spears
- Dehydrated Lime Fan

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Combine all of the ingredients except soda water in a cocktail shaker.
• Add ice and shake until chilled.
• Strain over fresh ice into a cocktail glass.
• Top with chilled soda water.
• Garnish with pineapple spears and dehydrated lime fan.

Cocktail author: Cocktail originates in Charles H. Baker’s 1939 book “A Gentleman’s Companion”. Recipe adapted by Marlo Gamora.

Pancho Villa - to history buffs it immediately brings Mexican revolutionary to mind. However, in this case it is named after Filipino flyweight boxing champion Francisco Villaruel Guilledo, who is also known by the name of “Pancho Villa”. Original cocktail dates back to 1939 Charles H. Baker’s book “A Gentleman’s Companion”, which was then adapted by Marlo Gamora, whose version is featured in this post.

Ingredient list, for this one, is impressive, to say the least. Aged rum brings sweet molasses and vanilla notes, bolstered by the subtle botanicals of the gin, which in turn helps to tame the remaining sweeter ingredients. Apricot liqueur contributes distinct fruitiness, clearly present in the drink, paired with additional sweetness of pineapple juice and deeper complex notes of Cherry Heering. Balance, to the so far rather sweet ingredients, is brought by a touch of lime juice and effervescent soda water. I used 60 – 90 ml of soda water, but if you have a sweeter palate 45 ml might be more to your liking, so feel free to experiment.

All in all, Pancho Villa is a lovely contribution to the long tradition of fruity tropical drinks. Surely to please a fun drink loving enthusiast.

Source material:
https://punchdrink.com/recipes/pancho-villa/