Cynarita
A margarita rebuilt around Cynar, the artichoke amaro. Bitter where a margarita is bright, and a lot more interesting for it.
If there’s a dusty bottle of Cynar on your shelf, this is the drink that earns it back.
Cynarita
Rocks · Large cube
Ingredients
- 1½ ozReposado Tequila
- .5 ozCynar
- .5 ozCampari
- garnishOrange Peel
Method
- 1Add large cube to rocks glass and set aside.
- 2Combine tequila, Cynar, Campari, in a mixing glass and stir vigorously for 30 seconds with bar spoon.
- 3Fine-strain into the chilled rocks glass.
- 4Peel orange, fold peel in half to release oils, express into drink and wipe glass rim.
- 5Place orange peel in glass, serve immediately.
History
The Cynarita is a riff on the Negroni that swaps Campari for Cynar, the artichoke-forward amaro, while anchoring the build with reposado tequila in place of gin. The result tilts the classic's bitter-citrus framework toward something earthier and more herbal — still bracingly bitter, but with a vegetal depth that Campari alone can't provide. The split between Cynar and Campari keeps one foot in familiar territory while letting the amaro do the heavy lifting.
Reach for a reposado with genuine oak character — the agave needs enough structure to push back against two bitter modifiers. A blanco will get lost. For a smokier variation, swap the reposado for a joven or espadin-based mezcal; the smoke plays surprisingly well against Cynar's earthiness. If you want to add some heat, a small float of Ancho Reyes in place of some of the Campari brings a dried chili warmth that fits the profile naturally. The split bitter format is unforgiving of imbalance, so stir longer than you think you need to; proper dilution is what softens the edges and makes this drinkable rather than aggressive. Express the orange peel generously — the citrus oil is doing real work here bridging the bitter and the spirit.
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