We heart tequila! And did you know that this agave spirit from the great land of Mexico gets bolder than blanco and even richer than reposado? Añejo is the name and “gracing cocktails that are friendly to all seasons with an amber look and a more robust take on the tequila taste” is its game.

Though the name translates to “old,” añejo is still just toddler-aged. But don’t let the numbers fool you: its one to three years spent in oak casks completely set it apart from younger tequilas and leads to a whisk(e)y-esque woodiness that’ll ably deliver on warmth for the winter. And it isn’t just wood that the barrel brings. Spending that time of rest alters the character of the tequila in other delicious ways, with the agave at the heart of the blend taking on the soft flavors and aromas of vanilla, cacao, cinnamon, or citrus.

We’re ready to tackle this tasty spirit in a season-defyingly sassy way by using musical inspirations to celebrate its irresistible intersection of light and darkness. It’s winter, after all, but even if your neighborhood’s far too nippy to inspire outright jubilation, grab yourself an Añejo, Let’s Go! Box and let a little bit of song and dance into your soul! Subscribe now through February 6th (while supplies last!) to get the Añejo, Let’s Go! Box—it’s slated to ship the week of February 7th.

Equipped with a 100-hours-long-and-growing playlist at his bar and restaurant, Cure, Donny Clutterbuck makes easy work of channeling musical inspirations into his cocktail creations—like this bubbly breath of fresh air, Feather Billet, which he crafted while grooving to the band PREP and other polished and modern Steely Dan successors of that ilk. His refreshing blend is a two-step between the lush, dried fruit-sweetness of añejo and the bright, floral, and spice stylings of grapefruit soda, rose syrup, and chocolate mole bitters, teaching a whole new set of peppy dance moves to the crowd-pleasing Paloma.

Donny paved his way through college and into the industry by working in many Upstate NY dives and clubs before a brief, life-changing stint at Booker and Dax in Manhattan. Now he’s rooted in Rochester, where he applies his talents to the cocktail program at the French-inflected Cure.

It takes a tuned-in ’tender to serve and dazzle the kinetic music-loving crowds of Austin, TX, from behind the bar—as evidenced by The Beat Goes On, a fan-favorite reissue. In this amped old fashioned (or hot toddy, if you wish), Jessica Sanders summons the spirit of the capital city into a mojo syrup layered with complexity from spices like vanilla, ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon and pairs it with a blend of orange and aromatic bitters to turn the dial way up on your añejo!

Jessica is a professional bartender, bar/restaurant owner, and hospitality consultant based in Austin. She owns and operates the award-winning craft-cocktail bar and gastropub DrinkWell and is also the vice president of the Texas Food & Wine Alliance and a member of the Austin chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, a womxn-centric culinary collective.

When the horns of Tijuana Brass start ringing out, you know you’re in for a good time. But don’t expect just a short and sweet solo in this sipper from Analise Stettner. Instead, take your time and bask in something of a lengthy exploratory jam session as a large coconut-water ice cube blends with deeply flavorful añejo and aromatic cinnamon demerara syrup and a bitters medley that includes notes of long pepper and hibiscus, weaving in and out of themes and gradually changing the mystical melodies of the drink as it settles right alongside you. 

Analise is a New England native who’s spent the last 15 years working in the food and beverage scene. She now runs the show at Providence’s one and only dedicated karaoke lounge, the Boombox, plus creates cocktails and tends bar at Tiny Bar, an outdoor craft-cocktail bar in the city’s jewelry district.

It’s the hottest ticket in town! So come on down to the big show, the Añejo, Let’s Go! Box, and let the tunes, tequila, and good times melt away even the littlest bit of those winter blues!

🌹🎺🥥,
The Shaker & Spoon Team

*not vegan: nothing