The Armada

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Cocktail History

The Armada is a modern cocktail that was created in 2010 by Lynnette Marrero in New York City, New York. Dreamed up in celebration of Campari's 150th anniversary, the recipe is considered a reverse Negroni variation that is made with a simple mixture of the bitter Italian liqueur, cream sherry, tequila, and grapefruit.

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Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Campari: This is a liqueur made in Italy with gentian root, rhubarb, citrus, herbs, aromatic plants, fruit, and alcohol.

Cream Sherry: This is a type of sherry made with a blend of dry wine and sweet wine. I used Don Benigno Cream Sherry.

Tequila Blanco: This is a spirit made with unaged agave and water. I used Dulce Vida Spirits Organic Tequila Blanco.

Grapefruit Twist: This is the peel of a grapefruit that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.

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Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. I used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. I used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.

Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.

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Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Dark and brooding bright red

• Aroma: Herbal Campari and grapefruit

• Taste: Dry taste featuring sherry nuttiness and noticeable agave and citrus notes

• Finish: Bitter yet herbal Campari with more nuttiness

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: "What a bizarre cocktail this was for me. It's described as a Negroni-style template that swaps out gin and vermouth for sherry and tequila—two ingredients I probably wouldn't have ever thought to stick with Campari. Although it was ultimately still too bitter for me to truly say I enjoyed it, The Armada was certainly intriguing and had me picking apart its flavor profile to discern what each element was. It's bitter but nutty and light at the same time. My recommendation is trying this once if you have similar drinking experience to mine and happen to have the ingredients on hand, but if you don't like Campari, don't go out of your way to make one because it probably won't knock your socks off quite enough."

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Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Mezcal + Tequila Cocktails: Mixed Drinks for the Golden Age of Agave by Robert Simonson.