The Origin Of Chile's Cola De Mono Drink May Trace Back To A Wild Party And A Missing Gun

The best stories often involve a group of friends at a party, with one trying to leave and the others insisting the debauchery must go on. Such is the rumored affair surrounding Chile's holiday cocktail, the cola de mono. The beverage is made with aguardiente, a spirit with quite a reputation. Cola de mono means monkey's tail in Spanish, and this particular drink serves up milk, sugar, coffee, spices, and booze in one festive serving.

As the story goes, Chilean President Pedro Montt was attempting to leave a house party. Determined to thwart his plans, fellow revelers stashed his pistol and spiked his coffee with aguardiente. The drink was dubbed colt de Montt, and the name became cola de mono over the years. Montt's friends also referred to the president as El Mono Montt. Though not as exciting sounding, another origin story involves an old Santiago restaurant that would pour housemade drinks into empty Anis del Mono bottles. The bottles had monkeys printed on the labels, lending to the name of the cola de mono drink.

Regardless of how this strong, sweet concoction came to be, you can find cola de mono passed during Chilean tea time and offered with nutty fruitcakes known as pan de Pascua.

Read more: The 40 Absolute Best Cocktails That Feature Only 2 Ingredients

A Drink To Keep The Party Going

Recipes for cola de mono can vary, with different spices and sweeteners flavoring concoctions. Whether pinches of nutmeg or dashes of cinnamon, this drink will keep the party going, as was the case when the beverage was initially served.

The uninitiated may compare the drink to a boozy eggnog recipe that would make Martha Stewart proud. You can make your own cola de mono at home with milk, sugar, instant coffee crystals, and your choice of spices. Once simmered, the flavored sweetened milk should be left to cool, and the spices strained out of the beverage before aguardiente is added. Can't find aguardiente? Splash white rum, brandy, or vodka into your recipe, instead. Evaporated milk can also be used instead of the milk and sugar combination. Serve chilled with a pretty garnish of a torched cinnamon stick or delicately ground nutmeg. Just be sure no guns are misplaced as empty drinks are replenished.

Read the original article on Tasting Table