Something worth drinking, it turns out. Tanealé Van der Merwe has spent her career behind some of the world's finest bars, competing on global stages and exploring the outer edges of what a cocktail can be. Now, as Prestige Ambassador at Pernod Ricard SA, her latest creation started somewhere much simpler – with a memory of Agua fresca, the traditional Mexican drink that transforms fresh fruit into something quietly extraordinary.
"I've always loved how simple and refreshing it is," she says. "It's a drink that doesn't try too hard. It just lets the fruit be what it is." Her version, called Lekker Fresca, does the same, but with a distinctly South African soul. Queen pineapple forms the base, its sweetness tempered by a touch of Rooibos, that most South African of ingredients, lending the drink an earthy depth that somehow feels right at home alongside a spirit from the highlands of Jalisco.
That spirit is Código 1530, a tequila with its own unhurried story. For generations it was shared quietly among a handful of Mexican families - never sold, simply enjoyed by those lucky enough to know about it. It comes from Amatitán, a town whose slogan translates as "Where It All Began", and every bottle still carries the codes and customs of that place: volcanic water, fully matured agave, no shortcuts, and no additives.
It's a tequila that does not try too hard either. Which makes it a natural companion to other classic cocktail recipes: a Cranberry Cosmo, a Drammed Tequila Old Fashioned, and a bold Bloody Maria.
Different drinks, different moods. But the same idea runs through all of them: that the best ingredients, whether they come from Jalisco or the Western Cape, don't need much help. Just a little curiosity, and someone who knows what to do with them
Código Lekker Fresca
Ingredients:
Servings: 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
2 parts Código 1530, Blanco Tequila
¾ part Blood Orange Syrup
1 part Rooibos
1 part Lime Juice
2 parts Pineapple Juice
How To Prepare:
Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
Fine Strain the mix into your chilled and Iced glass.
Garnish with a Fresh Pineapple Slice with Chili Salt
Glassware: tumbler
Código Cranberry Cosmo
Ingredients:
Servings: 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
2 parts Código 1530 Rosa Tequila
1 part cranberry juice
¾ part orange liqueur
½ part lime juice
How To Prepare:
Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
Strain the mix into your chilled glass.
Garnish with an orange twist for traditional sake, or a fresh cran-rosemary spring for a festive touch.
Código Drammed Tequila Old Fashioned
Servings: 1
Prep time: 3 minutes
Ingredients:
2 parts Código 1530 Reposado Tequila
½ part Drambuie
¼ part rich demerara syrup
1 dash Orange Bitters
1 dash Angostura
1 Luxardo cherry
2 thin pear slices for garnish
How To Prepare:
Add Código 1530, demerara syrup, Drambuie, and bitters to an old-fashioned glass with a large ice cube.
Stir with a bar spoon for about 40 seconds, or until glass becomes noticeably colder.
Garnish with pear slices and Luxardo cherry.
Código Bloody Maria
Ingredients:
Servings: 1 Prep time: 3 minutes
2 parts Código 1530 Blanco Tequila
4 parts tomato juice
½ part lemon juice
½ teaspoon horseradish
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 dash celery salt
1 dash ground black pepper
How To Prepare:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add Código, tomato juice, lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, celery salt, and black pepper.
Shake and strain into a highball or flared pint glass over ice. Garnish with celery stick as is tradition and add savory garnishes like olives, peppers for extra flavour,
