Behind the Cocktail: Green Mango Infused Negroni Made with 1800 Cristalino
Going Behind the Cocktail, we turn to the vibrant, creative energy of The Taste Collective, an initiative by 1800 Tequila where bartenders are encouraged to think differently about taste.
As one of the Collective’s Taste Experts, Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Jimenez— the Mexico City–born mind behind New York’s SUPERBUENO—brings a storyteller’s instinct to every drink he creates. His cocktails unfold the way any good narrative would—with intention and rooted in memory.
The inspiration behind his Green Mango Negroni starts with a familiar sight from home: the Mexican women selling crisp, tart green mangos on subway platforms across the city. “We have a variation of this drink on the menu at SUPERBUENO called the Green Mango Martini,” he explains.
“We created it to honor the Mexican women who sell green mangos on the subway platforms around New York. For this collaboration with 1800 Tequila, we wanted to keep the spirit alive of the original inspiration but flip the drink to a Negroni, one of my favorite classic cocktails.”
Green mango isn’t a typical Negroni ingredient, and that’s exactly why it works. Its bright acidity and tropical edge give the drink a fresh perspective.
“Green mango has a perfect acidity and tropical fruit flavor profile you don’t see often in Negronis,” Nacho says. Tropical notes may be showing up more on Negroni menus everywhere, but here, they act as the backbone of a clean and compelling white Negroni variation. “We thought the green mango was a nice way to do a white Negroni variation.”
Swapping the traditional gin for 1800 Tequila Cristalino pushes the concept even further. The Cristalino’s roasted agave character and subtle tropical fruit tones knit seamlessly into the mango and bitters, creating an agave-driven dimension. “The roasted agave and tropical fruits of the 1800 Tequila Cristalino are an ideal base to play around with other tropical flavors, and in this case, green mango,” he says.
What emerges is a cocktail shaped by heritage, reinterpretation, and the collaborative spirit of The Taste Collective. The Green Mango Negroni is a drink that tells a story—and invites you to keep sipping.
Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled.
Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
Garnish with a green mango slice.
*Green Mango-Infused 1800 Cristalino
Ingredients
750ml of 1800 Cristalino
1kg of peeled green mango
Preparation
Combine 750ml of 1800 Cristalino with 1kg of peeled green mango cut into small pieces.
Infuse overnight, then strain and bottle.
**Mango Sherbet
Ingredients
500ml champagne vinegar
150g of ripe mangos
Preparation
Blend 500ml champagne vinegar with 150g of ripe mangos.
Infuse overnight, then strain and bottle.
Want to experience this thinking firsthand? Join The Taste Collective and watch for the tour coming to a city near you—where you’ll taste Nacho’s Ranch Water, learn directly from the experts, and explore how 1800 Tequila can fuel your own creative journey behind the bar. Follow The Taste Collective to learn how today’s bartenders are reshaping flavor through culture, creativity, and collaboration. Because every good cocktail has a great story to tell.
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