Bambuco Bar
Located on the Riviera Maya in Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, our renovated Bambuco Bar is the perfect spot for a sundowner and small tapas dishes set amongst lush tropical palms and playful interiors.
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Recipe: ‘Solteco’ Cocktail
Words by Belmond Editors
Discover the recipe for a Solteco cocktail, the latest addition to the menu at Maroma’s Bambuco Bar – crafted using a bespoke mezcal for Maroma from The Lost Explorer.
Mezcal – the strong and sacred Mexican spirit made from the agave plant – is typically sipped straight, with orange slices or salt the only accompaniment. Recently, though, pioneering bartenders are shaking things up. At Bambuco Bar in Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya, head mixologist Ximena Moreno and one of the world’s most pioneering bartenders is shaking things up with a brand-new creation. The Solteco cocktail is a mix of mezcal, watermelon, chili and agave that promises to transport you to the sunshine of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, no matter where in the world you’re drinking it.
We partnered with renowned Mexican mezcal producer The Lost Explorer to launch a bespoke blend, Mezcal Tobasiche, which features tasting notes of caramel, tobacco, grapefruit peel and leather and is available exclusively for Maroma guests. Handcrafted in Oaxaca, The Lost Explorer’s mezcals use specially-selected rare agave that can only be found in the mountains of Sol de Vega, Oaxaca. To produce the new blend, we worked with mezcal master Don Fortino Ramos and The Lost Explorer team to craft a unique mezcal that features in the Solteco cocktail. Discover this uniquely fruity, smoky and sophisticated drink in the recipe below.
Ingredients
- 1 small watermelon, sliced
- 100ml agave syrup
- 450ml mezcal (we use Mezcal Tobasiche by The Lost Explorer)
- 200ml chili pepper liquor (we use the brand Xila, but Ancho Reyes also works)
- 200ml freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1tsp red pepper flakes
- 1tsp sea salt
Instructions
Step 1 / 6
Slice the watermelon into approx. 4cm slices and remove the seeds.
Step 2 / 6
Brush the watermelon slices with a little agave syrup and add them briefly to a very hot pan to sear each side.
Step 3 / 6
Add the rest of the ingredients to a blender and blitz until combined.
Step 4 / 6
Add the mixture to a container, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
Step 5 / 6
After 12 hours, pass the mixture through a paper filter.
Step 6 / 6
For each serving, decorate the rim of a short glass with a mix of red pepper flakes and salt. Measure out 200ml per serving and pour over one large ice cube in each glass.
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