Carolina

What a strange cocktail with such an incongruous name. If there is a contemporary equivalent, it would have to be the Cinnamon Toast Crunch with Rumchata and Fireball Whiskey. Without these select products available decades ago, mixologists must have come up with this drink to imitate the flavor of cinnamon toast.

• 3 oz. gold tequila
• 1 oz. half-and-half
• 1 tsp. grenadine
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ground cinnamon 
• maraschino cherry

Combine tequila, half-and-half, grenadine, egg white and vanilla in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Sprinkle with cinnamon and garnish with the cherry.

1.  

Sauzaliky

What a fun name for a drink! And what better tequila to use for the Sauzaliky than Sauza? I really enjoyed this cocktail more than most blended drinks I've made this year. For one thing, it was like a smoothie with a tequila kick. Fresh bananas, fresh squeezed orange juice, and a hint of lime give the drink a tropical feel, while blended ice and fruit have a silkiness (not grainy like a Frozen Margarita) that makes for non-stop sipping.

Half a banana for one drink is a lot of banana, but I appreciate how the flavor remains without the need for artificial tasting liqueurs. If you have a blender and a few fruit staples on hand, this is a great choice. Sauza gold has this rich taste that also appeared in the cocktail, despite all of the other ingredients.

• 2 oz. gold tequila
• 4 oz. orange juice
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1/2 banana sliced

Add all ingredients in a blender with ice and blend until smooth. Pour into a cocktail glass or wine goblet.