La Perla
At first blush, sherry and tequila might not seem like two spirits that would complement one another in a single cocktail. And yet? Strange bedfellows work in this instance.
The boozy hookup has been happening more and more often these days, in part thanks to beverage consultant Jacques Bezuidenhout, who invented the “La Perla" cocktail—a potent, slightly sweet concoction of smooth reposado tequila, dry sherry, and pear liqueur—for the no-Cosmpolitans-allowed San Francisco speakeasy Bourbon & Branch.
In the video above, Bezuidenhout shows us how to make one. “I’ve always loved tequila, I’ve always loved sherry, and it was a natural thing for me to combine the two,” he explains.
And don’t even think about knocking back the tequila-based elixir in tiny shot glasses, spring break–style. The La Perla is best enjoyed in a chilled cocktail glass “before dinner or during the meal,” Bezuidenhout says. So get fancy, and pour yourself a drink.
