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Elements: PX Sherry

Nobody’s quite sure why Pedro Ximénez grapes, or the fortified wine made from them, bear a name more apt for a human. (Several largely debunked theories involve the grape being brought to Spain by either a soldier named Pedro Ximen or a Catholic cardinal named Ximénez, or that the grape was possibly named for the Spanish village of Jiménez.) But one thing is absolutely true about the Pedro Ximénez style of sherry (typically shortened to PX): The wine anchors the dark, indulgent end of the sherry category’s flavor range. Rich and dense, PX sherry adds thickness and a funky raisin-like sweetness to cocktails—properties that make it an ideal tool in a bartender’s arsenal.


“Pedro Ximénez is superior for mixing sweet, viscous drinks,” explains Kate Gerwin, owner of Happy Accidents in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gerwin initially created her One & Done cocktail when working in Bismarck, North Dakota, as a sneaky way to introduce guests to sherry. The drink’s combination of PX sherry and aged cane spirits provide nuanced fig and chocolate notes, creating a complex cocktail with a rich mouthfeel. “Viscosity adds mouthfeel, which is how we perceive a cocktail. It’s also an ideal sugar swap. Using it as your sugar source lets you achieve the balance between the sugars and acids you need in a cocktail,” says Gerwin.

One & Done

Pedro Ximénez sherry adds the right touch of lushness to this deep, complex cocktail.

1 1/2 oz. aged rhum agricole
1/2 oz. PX sherry (such as Lustau)
1/2 oz. Byrrh
1/4 oz. Cynar
1/4 oz. tart cherry syrup (Happy Accidents uses Monin)

Tools: barspoon, strainer
Glass: rocks
Garnish: orange twist, cherry

Stir all of the ingredients together with ice, then strain into a glass over a large ice cube. Express an orange twist and discard. Garnish with a cherry.

Kate Gerwin, Happy Accidents, Albuquerque

PX sherry can also play in sync with other sherry styles within the same cocktail. In Minneapolis, Meteor’s Sherry Daiquiri cocktail combines PX and amontillado sherries to mimic the rum character found in the traditional drink. Such alchemy creates a riff on a classic that’s simultaneously low-proof and educational. “I’m getting older, so I can’t do full strength as much as I used or liked to, so I made a point to make sure we had quality low-ABV options on our menu,” says Meteor owner Robb Jones.“Besides, the drink makes sherry more approachable to guests, which is great—we’re all mildly obsessed with getting people to drink sherry around here.

Sherry Daiquiri

PX sherry meets its amontillado cousin in this lower-ABV take on the classic Daiquiri.

1 oz. PX sherry (such as Lustau)
1 oz. amontillado sherry (Lustau)
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. demerara syrup (1:1)
1 dash Angostura bitters

Tools: shaker, strainer
Glass: coupe
Garnish: lime wheel, dash of Angostura bitters

Shake all of the ingredients with ice, then strain into a chilled glass. Dash the bitters atop a
lime wheel and use as a garnish.

Robb Jones, Meteor, Minneapolis

For some bartenders, PX sherry’s properties makeit the ideal finishing touch for a new cocktail. “You don’t necessarily use PX sherry for its taste so much as you use it for the character it brings to a drink,”explains Ross Simon, owner of Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour in Phoenix. “When building a richer cocktail like an after-dinner drink, we’ll reach for PX as the ingredient that fills in what’s missing.” In his The Rum Also Rises cocktail, Simon’s team uses PX sherry as a binding agent that connects the floral fruitiness of tea-infused rum with the bittersweet flavors of cacao and coffee to create an indulgent nightcap that doubles as dessert.

The Rum Also Rises

PX sherry builds a flavorful bridge between coffee, tea, and chocolate in this rich after-dinner drink.

1 oz. Earl Grey–infused rum (Simon suggests a white rum such as Bounty or Flor de Caña)
3/4 oz. crème de cacao
1/2 oz. coffee liqueur
1/2 oz. cold-brew concentrate
1/4 oz. PX sherry

Tools: shaker, strainer, fine strainer
Glass: coupe
Garnish: Earl cream, butter cookie

Shake all of the ingredients with ice, then double strain into a chilled coupe. Top with Earl cream, and garnish with a butter cookie.
Earl Grey–Infused RumCombine a 750 ml bottle of rum with 12 grams of Earl Grey tea in a large container. Let steep for 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on desired strength, then strain and bottle for use. Keeps indefinitely, though the flavor will gradually fade over time.
Earl CreamCombine 1/2 cup of brewed Earl Grey tea with 1/2 cup of condensed milk and 1 cup of heavy cream. Use an immersion blender (or a standard blender) to blend until the mixture is thick and well combined. Keeps refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Ross Simon, Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour, Phoenix

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