Charro Negro Drink

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

As the sun goes down, sip on the mysterious and rich Charro Negro cocktail.

The car had started getting loud and running funny some untold miles back, behind the path I had trodden through this horrible, terrible night.

I had been on the road for the better part of four hours, in the dead of the darkest night I had ever seen. My high beams were shining bright, but dying in the sludgy ink that seemed to swim before me on this numberless and nameless highway. What was I running from? How long had it been? I had forgotten. It seemed like days… Or it could have been months. But… the more I thought about it, it might have been… might have been years?

Behind me in the rearview was a pair of red eyes, sharp and bright. They were coming up fast, too. No motorcycle, car or jet fighter could move the way this dark shape did, with its crimson pinpoints burrowing an icy feeling deep within my soul.

I turned the volume of the radio way up, hoping it would somehow drown out the frightening unknown riding up my tailpipe. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds crooned about red right hands as I swerved and weaved and tried to duck my pursuer.

Then they blasted past me, almost grinding the right side of my ride. I quickly cranked the old window up on my AMC Hornet as a jet-black demon steed, with glowing, angry, red eyes galloped ahead of me, fire flying under every stamp of each hoof. Atop the dark horse sat a charro, faceless and as inky as midnight. With a howl at the bright, full moon above, the phantom jinete disappeared before I knew what I was seeing. My car swerved into the dusty ditch on the side of the road, coming to a hard, jolting stop.

All around me was quiet nothingness. I turned the key in the ignition, and mercifully, the engine came to life, purring blissfully. The first stop I was determined to find on this lonesome road was a bar. Because I needed a drink. A stiff one.

And after the tale I was going to tell them, they had better know how to make a Charro Negro.

What is the best tequila to use in a Charro Negro?

Our recipe says that tequila is the spirit you’ll need to pair with some fresh lime juice and dark cola… But, exactly what kind of tequila? When crafting a Charro Negro, or “black cowboy”, a white tequila isn’t the proper liquor. Go for a richer, more robust and darker spirit, like a reposado or an aged añejo tequila.

What glassware and garnish are used?

Salt the rim of a highball or collins glass, fill it with ice and pour your ingredients in, stirring gently with a bar spoon. Garnish with a plump and juicy lime wedge on top.

What is the best cola to use in this cocktail?

To go for an authentic Southwestern texture and flavor, grab a few bottles of Mexican Coke, which is Coca-Cola crafted with cane sugar as opposed to high fructose corn syrup. Even on its own, this is the best version of a classic Coke that you’ll ever sip on.

Similar cocktails to the Charro Negro

Have an abundance of Coca-Cola, or Distillers Cola, or R.C. Cola, or Pepsi, or Throwback Pepsi? Well, whatever dark and caramel-infused soft drink you have stored away in your fridge, here are a handful of spirit-filled mixtures you can whip up with said soda, and whatever you might have handy in your home bar.

• Whiskey and Coke – A perfect end-of-day tipple after a rough week.
• Cuba Libre – Coca-Cola, rum and lime juice come together in this classic.
• Gin and Coke – This combo is refreshing and full-bodied.
• Fernet and Coke – Try this bitter, spiced and bubbly beverage the next time you’re in the mood for a cocktail.