El Jefe Recipe

Prepare chile pasilla salt

Toast the dried pasilla briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30–60 seconds until fragrant (optional). Grind toasted pasilla to a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. On a small plate combine 1 tsp ground pasilla powder with 1 tsp fine sea salt and mix evenly.

Rim the glass

Rub the lime wedge around the rim of a chilled rocks glass (or coupe if preferred). Dip the wet rim into the chile pasilla salt, pressing gently to adhere an even ring. Set the glass aside.

Garnish prep

Cut a fresh lime wheel or wedge for garnish. If using toasted pasilla flakes, hold a pinch for finishing the top of the cocktail.

Combine ingredients

Add 2 oz Don Julio 1942, 0.5 oz Combier, 0.75 oz fresh lime juice, and 0.25 oz agave nectar into a cocktail shaker.

Add ice and shake

Fill the shaker with ice (about 6 oz by volume of ice). Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the shaker is very cold and well aerated.

Strain and serve

Double strain the cocktail into the prepared chile pasilla–salt–rimmed rocks glass over a large ice cube or serve neat in the chilled coupe if preferred. Use a fine mesh strainer to catch any small solids from the lime or ice shards.

Finish and garnish

Express a lime peel (or squeeze a small lime wedge) over the drink and wipe the peel around the glass if using. Float the lime wheel on the surface or rest it on the rim. If desired, sprinkle a tiny pinch (about 1/8–1/4 tsp) of toasted pasilla flakes on top of the cocktail for aroma and visual contrast.