El Draque (Smuggler's Cove Recipe)

Cachaça is pretty new to the American cocktail scene. It wasn't there before prohibition, so the golden age cocktailists didn't use it. Its not in a classic book like The New York Bartenders Guide circa 1997. So I went to Martin Cate's book for a good cachaça recipe. 

This cocktail is much like the South Side, which is mint and lemon juice shaken with gin and double strained. El Draque is a tribute to Francis Drake's expedition to the Americas. The cocktail is a forerunner to the Mojito (AKA Old Cuban) with cachaça instead of unaged rum. 

• 2 oz. cachaça (Avua used)
• 3/4 oz. lime juice
• 3/4 oz. demerara syrup
• 5 mint leaves
• lime slice

Combine all ingredients except lime slice in a shaker with ice. Shake to break up the mint and chill and double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lime slice speared with a cocktail pick.