New York City’s Superbueno currently has bragging rights to being America’s best cocktail bar after coming in second only to Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy in the influential North America’s 50 Best Bars list released in April.
But if you can’t make it in person to the buzzy Mexican-American hot spot, Superbueno is sharing an exclusive recipe with Maxim for its Green Mango Martini, which hits all the right notes for breezy summer refreshment.
The Green Mango Martini draws from the bar’s Big Apple birthplace and “was inspired by the subway vendors that sell mangos,” said Superbueno owner Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez.
(Photo by John Shyloski/Courtesy of Superbueno)
“In this cocktail, we wanted to feature the freshness of the mango, so we infused Patrón Tequila with green mango for 24 hours and paired that with a mango distillate from Mexico, finishing off with Sauternes and honey,” Jimenez said.
(Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez/Photo by John Shyloski, Courtesy of Superbueno)
Garnishing the drink with chili oil (more details below) “makes this cocktail surprisingly refreshing, round and smooth,” Jimenez continued. Like any great drink worth its salt (or chili oil), Superbueno goes the extra mile with added details like precisely made homemade chili oil and plenty of attention to detail.
For ambitious home bartenders who can’t make it to Superbueno in person, follow these (somewhat complicated) steps to stir up a unique martini, just like they do at one of America’s very best bars.
(Photo by John Shyloski/Courtesy of Superbueno)
How to Make Superbueno’s Green Mango Martini:
Ingredients:
2 1/2 oz Green Mango Infused Patron Silver (recipe below)
1/2 oz. Tosba Mango eau de vie (or any mango distillate)
3/4 oz Sauternes
1/4 oz Honey Syrup (50:50 ratio)
2 Dashes of Saline
2 Dashes of Mango Vinegar
Garnish with a drop of Costeno Chili Oil
Method:
Combine ingredients together with ice, stir until cold and strain into a Nick and Nora glass.
Garnish with an eyedropper of Costeno Chili Oil.
(Photo by John Shyloski/Courtesy of Superbueno)
To make the Green Mango Infused Patron Silver, take 1 liter of Patron Silver and infuse 350 grams of small peeled green mango overnight, up to 24 hours, before straining and bottling.
To make the Costeno Chili Oil on a time constraint, use your favorite chili oil on top, or cook costeno peppers on low heat in a pot (with extra virgin olive oil) for about an hour before cooling and straining. Superbueno recommends aiming for 70 grams of costeno chili per 1 liter of extra virgin olive oil.
From there, the drink offers pure enjoyment and the satisfaction of putting a distinctive spin on the tried-and-true martini. One of Superbueno’s top drinks is surely worthy of its own toast.