Restaurants›La Popular Roseville›Empire At Dusk Recipe

Empire At Dusk Recipe

Inspired by La Popular Roseville
Time1h 30m
Serves1

plantain-infused Dobel Reposado / Licor 43 / sweet vermouth / bitters

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Ingredients

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Cocktail

For plantain infusion (makes about 12–16 oz infused reposado)

Method

Plantain infusion (prep ahead — 24–48 hours)

1

Prepare plantain

Peel the ripe plantain and slice into 1/4-inch (6 mm) rounds. Use a ripe but not overripe plantain (yellow with small brown spots) for balanced sweetness and subtle starch character.

2

Combine

Place the sliced plantain in a clean glass jar and pour 12 oz reposado tequila over the slices so they are fully submerged. Seal the jar tightly.

3

Infuse

Let the jar sit at cool room temperature for 24 hours, tasting at 12 hours. If you want a slightly stronger plantain note, extend to 36–48 hours. Strain when the desired flavor is reached.

4

Strain and store

Strain the infused tequila through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean bottle. Discard plantain solids. Store refrigerated up to 2 weeks or at room temperature up to a month. Use 2 oz per cocktail.

Cocktail assembly

5

Chill glass

Place a rocks glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water to chill while you build the cocktail.

6

Combine ingredients

In a mixing glass, add 2 oz plantain‑infused Dobel Reposado, 0.75 oz Licor 43, 0.75 oz sweet vermouth, 2 dashes Angostura bitters, and 1 dash orange bitters.

7

Stir

Add plenty of mixing ice and stir gently for 30–40 seconds (about 20–30 full strokes) until the mixture is well chilled and properly diluted (roughly 20–25% dilution by eye).

8

Prepare glass

Discard the chilling ice or remove the rocks glass from the freezer. Place a single large ice cube in the chilled rocks glass.

9

Strain

Double-strain or fine-strain the cocktail from the mixing glass into the rocks glass over the large ice cube to remove any small shards of ice.

10

Garnish and finish

Express a light orange peel over the surface to release oils (optional): hold a fresh orange peel over the drink and give it a quick, sharp twist, then rub the peel on the glass rim and drop or rest it on the ice. Add one dehydrated plantain chip on the rim or floated on the cube for aroma and visual reference.

11

Serve

Serve immediately. Sip slowly to enjoy the blend of warm vanilla and banana-like plantain notes against the herbal sweet vermouth and spicy bitters.