Drink This Weekend Edition: Milagro, a modern miracle

With so many tequila labels to choose from, where do you start? For us, the infatuation with Milagro began when we set our eyes on that cool, cobalt blue bottle. Being indie supporters, we smiled upon hearing that it was two Mexican college buddies who formed Milagro in the late 1990s. But it’s the liquid inside the bottle that hooked us. Milagro tequilas are handcrafted in small batches from 100 percent blue agave grown in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. The company uses clay ovens to slow-roast the agave for 36 hours. After cooking comes a triple distillation process – it’s twice distilled in a pot still, then in a special column still – that results in a tequila that’s exceptionally smooth, complex and tasty. 

Milagro’s artisanal line includes a silver (also available in mandarin and limon flavors), a reposado aged in single oak barrels for six months, and the añejo, aged for 18 months. It also includes a select barrel reserve reposado and añejo. Want both? They sell them together in a funky two-vessels-in-one 750-milliliter bottle (pictured) labeled Milagro Tequila Romance. If you don’t feel like shaking your own Mexican miracle cocktail, head to Milagro Modern Mexican in Webster Groves. The house margarita is excellent; the blood orange margarita is their best-seller. Milagro Margarita Courtesy of Milagro Modern Mexican 1.5 oz Milagro Silver 1 oz Gran Gala or Grand Marnier 1 oz. fresh lime juice ½ oz fresh lemon juice ½ oz. agave nectar • Mix all ingredients in a shaker. • Shake and strain into a salt-rimmed (optional) chilled cocktail glass. • Garnish with a slice of lime. Blood Orange Margarita Courtesy of Milagro Modern Mexican 1.5 oz Milagro Reposado 1 oz Gran Gala or Grand Marnier ½ oz. fresh lime juice ¼ oz. fresh lemon juice
1 ½ oz. blood orange puree • Mix all ingredients in a shaker. • Shake and strain into a salt-rimmed (optional) chilled cocktail glass. • Garnish with a slice of blood orange