Directed by Elmer Zilch
Tequila comes in three categories:
Introduction To celebrate the Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos and, in the spirit of the ’Cocktails to try before you Die’ features of Motel menu’s bygone, we present the ‘18 Cocktails to Try After You Die’ menu; a showcase of twists and remixes on twenty classic cocktails created here at Motel and by bartenders around the world. We always give credit where it is due, so every drink we have borrowed to complete our list is credited below.
A full cigar list is available for your pleasure. Please ask one of our staff for directions to our covered smoking area. Softpack Lucky Strike Cigarettes - 15
Blanco:
Or silver, white tequila. Fresh off the still and aged no more than 2 months on neutral oak, this is the purest form of the spirit. Vegetal, mineral rich, spicy and grassy, this is the essence of tequila. Best mixed in light cocktails. Long feared and misunderstood, tequila was probably the bane of your college years and attributed to many groggy mornings. However misconception has crept into the public perception of this fine spirit, and in a few short words we seek to rectify this. Your hangover, to start with, probably wasn’t the fault of tequila – it was the fault of cheap tequila. The spirit in New Zealand has long been misrepresented by low-quality brands that are not true tequilas, but ‘mixto’. These are only legally obligated to contain 51% tequila, and the rest can come from any grain spirit, such as vodka. Caramel colouring is often added to give the impression of aging, then sugars and chemicals to mask the taste of the grain spirit. This will lead to a nasty hangover, and while we won’t point any fingers, you can probably guess a few of the culprits behind these heinous crimes towards tequila.
Reposado:
Or ‘rested’ tequila. Aged for more than two months but no more than one year in French oak, this tequila starts to pick up the buttery, vanilla notes from the barrels while maintaining it’s quintessential character. A great cocktail tequila, makes outstanding margaritas for those so inclined.
Anejo:
Or ‘aged’ tequila. Older than a year, younger than three years in oak barrels, this is where tequila starts to approach a character similar to rum or a light whiskey. Caramel and sweet smoke from the charred barrels dominate vegetal flavours, we recommend Anejo tequila is enjoyed on its own as a sipped drink. Our staff are knowledgeable and well-versed in tequila lore and spirit so if you have any questions or require guidance in choosing your tipple please let us know.
We only use fresh-squeezed juices in all of our cocktails to ensure the highest standard of quality for you, the drinker. Please allow us the time to ensure perfection in your cocktails.
A twist on the aviation cocktail, and a firm favourite at Motel, our version combines reposado tequila, lemon juice, maraschino and violet liqueur, shaken stiffly and garnished with a Szechuan pepper and wild thyme salt. -17
Even a skeleton looks good in a tailored suit – this refreshing buck combines reposado tequila, lime juice, roast capsicum syrup and angostura bitters, topped with gingerbeer. Served tall. -14
Roast banana puree, bitter dark chocolate and reposado tequila with sugar, egg and a dash of spicy cardamom. What else do we need to say? Served cold, up on the stem. -18
An inverse of the famous official state drink of Louisiana, this twist makes absinthe the major player in the drink, tempered out with fresh lemon juice, sugar, Peychauds bitters and a rinse of overproof rye whiskey for good measure. From the bar at Montgomery Place, London. Served up on the stem. -19
The Last Word is a reclaimed classic cocktail, born in the depths of prohibition in the Detroit ‘Athletic Club’, purportedly a front for a speakeasy. Just like the original, this cocktail is a little bit sweet, a little bit sour and a little bit funky, combining thyme-infused aquavit, gentian liqueur, maraschino, lime juice and a dash of stout, served up. -18
Named after the mysterious smut-artist behind many of the Tijuana bibles of the early twentieth century, this is a tall take on the traditional Negroni, combining blanco tequila, elderflower liqueur and campari in a frosty swizzle. Served tall. -17
For those familiar with the deadly Zombie cocktail, here is our alltequila all the time variation. Anejo, reposado and blanco tequilas, lime juice, pineapple juice, smoked passionfruit syrup and apricot brandy, served in a flaming Tiki mug. Limit three per evening – 25
Named for the traditional flower of el Día de los Muertos, this daisy variation combines blanco tequila, yellow chartreuse, fresh lemon juice, angostura bitters and pineapple flesh, served long. – 16
A truly funky beast, this takes a classic daiquiri (dry of course, as Pappa Hemingway liked them), and subs in French Agricole rhum to make this a proper pick-me-up. Not for the faint of heart. -14
The 20th Century cocktail was named after an art-deco train that caught the imagination of the world in 1939; Time marches on however, and this revamp comes from the boys at PDT in New York City. Blanco tequila, crème de cacao, Lillet blanc and lemon juice with a rinse of absinthe makes for a delicious little sour. Served up on the stem. -17
Taking cue from the classic margarita, this cocktail combines blanco tequila, apricot brandy, house-made rosemary liqueur and fresh lime juice. Served short with a salted rim. -15
A Manhattan twist, named after a story about a polo pony named after a cat. It’s complicated. Reposado tequila, fino sherry, sweet vermouth and spiced chocolate bitters with a grapefruit twist, served up on the stem. -17
glass/bottle
Another Motel favourite returning for the menu, and the perfect example of a sexy danger name. This drink combines Smoke and Oakum Gunpowder Rum, sweet vermouth, cherry heering and fresh orange juice. Credit where credit is due, this drink comes from Peter Lowry at the Hawthorn Lounge. Served Up. -20
A twist on the Death in the Afternoon, a supposed Hemmingway favourite, the breath in the afternoon combines fine French absinthe, finer French champagne, violet liqueur and a pineapple and black pepper tincture. -25
In honour of the final five members of the French Foreign Legion who stood against the massed Mexican armies at Hacienda Camarón, we offer our humble twist on Dick Bradsell’s Bramble Cocktail. Blanco tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice and celery bitters with a drizzle of blackberry liqueur, served short. Viva la Legion, indeed. -15
The Holland House cocktail features the sorely unloved genever, a malt spirit that was the precursor to today’s dry gins. Likewise, this twist features tequila’s neglected cousin mescal, a spicy smoky aged spirit often forgotten. We combine it with bianco vermouth, maraschino, lemon juice and our very own very special barrel-aged cherry and liquorice bitters – served up on the stem. -18
A Motel favourite and a modern take on the Tiki genre, this drink from the Starlight Room in San Francisco combines chartreuse, lime, pineapple and falernum in a frosty refreshing swizzle. -16
Another name for the bootleg filth that was the Tijuana bible, this drink is a twist on the Lagerita, and is suitably just as filthy as its namesake. Reposado tequila, lime juice, sugar and Bechorovka, topped with Belgian ale. -17
glass/bottle
Squawking Magpie Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
10 / 45
20 / 125
Cable Bay Chardonnay Waiheke Island
15 / 65
Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Reims, France
175
Hawkshead Pinot Gris Central Otago
14 / 60
Pol Roger Vintage Rose 2002 Epernay, France
175
Ducato Sannita Greco di Tufo Campania, Italy
13 / 55
Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque 2002 Epernay, France
275
Dry River Riesling Martinborough
Salon 1997 Le Mesnil, France
700
Tonon Prosecco Veneto, Italy
Gosset Brut Excellence Ay, France
50
/ 75
glass/ bottle
Rabbit Ranch Pinot Noir Central Otago
15 / 65
Don David ‘Reserve’ Syrah Mendoza, Argentina
11 / 50
Primicia Rioja Rioja, Spain
13 / 55
Te Mata Coleraine Hawke’s Bay
120
Mole and Corn Chips - 9 A spicy savoury chocolate mince dip, served with corn chips. Cheeseboard - 24 A selection of artisan cheeses with crisp breads, preserves and the like. Changes daily, ask your server. Motel Club Sandwich - 8 Blue Cheese, apple and basil, the stuff dreams are made of. Pickled Jalapenos – 6 TV Mix - 6 Or chex mix, to those in the know. Pretzels, nuts and cereal baked in a salty, spicy sauce. Popcorn - 5 Sweet Kettle, Salted or Buttered Nuts – 4 Bottomless Coffee – 4 With a sneaky kick of liquor – 11
bottle
10
Bohemia Larger 355ml Mexico Theresianer Premium Lager 330ml Italy
9
Little Creatures Pale Ale 330ml Australia
11
Tuatara Pilsner 330ml New Zealand
9
Pitch Black Porter 330ml Invercargil Saison Du Point 750ml Belgium
Crooked Cider 500ml Wairarapa Amstel Light (Low Alchohol) 330ml Netherlands
14 35
15 8