Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit PRESSROOM

Riviera Nayarit, Mexico (January 23, 2018) - The "Beyond All-Inclusive, Beyond All Compare" Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit is now offering a new mixology class that serves up beverages with a twist of Mexican culture. During the weekly class, participants learn to make four different Mexican drinks: Yashu Margarita, Tricolor Cocktail, Sweet Convent and "Pascalles." Each features a tie in to Mexican history and heritage. In travelers are unable to make it down to Mexico this winter, the resort shares its recipes to make at home.

Yashu Margarita

The Yashu Margarita is primarily made from Ancho Reyes Ancho Chile Liqueur and "yashu" - the word for avocado in the ancient Zapotec language. The Zapotec civilization was an indigenous pre-Columbian civilization that flourished in the Valley of Oaxaca in the south of Mexico.

1 avocado

½ oz     Ancho Reyes liqueur

⅛ oz      lime juice

½ oz     grapefruit juice

1 ½ oz   Tequila

1 oz      Controy Orange liqueur or Cointreau

1 T        pink pepper

1. Place the avocado, pink pepper, and lemon juice in the shaker and macerate all together.

2. Add 1 C ice, Ancho Reyes liqueur, grapefruit juice, Controy Orange liqueur, and tequila.

3. Shake everything and serve in a frosted glass, rim with "tajin chile"or salt.

4. Decorate with an avocado fan.

Tricolor

Layered with red, white and green ingredients, the Tricolor was created in honor of the Mexican flag.

1 T        red bell pepper

½ oz     grenadine syrup

1 oz      Mezcal

2 oz      kiwi pulp

½ oz     lime juice

1 T        basil

1. Macerate the red pepper in the grenadine. Pour over 1 C ice in glass frosted with worm salt.

2. Add the Mezcal by pouring it down the side of the glass to keep the colors separate.

3. In a shaker, mix the kiwi pulp, lime juice, and basil. Again pour on the glass to make the third hue of the drink.

Sweet Convent

The Sweet Convent was inspired by the bottle of Frangelico which is designed to look like a friar. It serves as a reminder of the monks who instilled religion in Mexico. The drink is also an allusion to the "Tenth Muse" Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz and her poetry about love, religion and feminism which offers us a combination of feelings, just as the drink.

1½ oz   Mezcal

1 pinch ground espresso beans

½ oz     Baileys liqueur

½ oz     Frangelico liqueur

½ oz     Kahlua Coffee liqueur

1. Place ice in shaker.

2. Add all the ingredients and mix.

4. Serve in a martini glass perfumed with orange juice and decorated with an orange twist.

Pascalles

"Pascalles" is a popular song that children learn in choir that references the colonial time in the state of of Guanajuato, where structural beauty, underground streets, and green gardens abound. The softness and freshness of the drink alludes to the gardens, while the darkness of the chili and its strong flavor reminds us of the underground tunnels and streets.

1 ½ oz   Gin

1 T        dried pasilla chile

1 can    tonic water

2 T        cucumber

¼ oz     simple syrup

¼ oz     lime juice

1. Make an infusion with the syrup and the "pasilla chile." The cucumber is macerated and then added to the shaker with ice, gin, lime juice and the infusion.

2. Stir and serve in the glass.

3. Fill the glass with the tonic water and decorate with a cucumber stalk.

For reservations or more information, call 1-888-407-4869, email reservationsrn@velasresorts.com or visit https://vallarta.grandvelas.com/.

About Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit enjoys a privileged natural setting with flowering, landscaped gardens beside a long stretch of pristine beach and a dramatic backdrop of the Sierra Madre mountains. The centerpiece of the gardens is a three-tiered infinity pool, a preferred spot for catching the legendary sunsets. The AAA Five Diamond all-inclusive resort features 267 ocean-view suites, some with private plunge pools, and all with LCD high definition flat screens with digital cable, Wi-Fi, fully stocked mini bar, L'Occitane amenities and Nespresso machines. Of the resort's five restaurants, three, serving French, Italian and Mexican gourmet cuisine, have received AAA Four Diamond awards for distinguished cuisine and presentation. An oasis of wellbeing, the resort's Se Spa offers 20 treatment suites, more than 30 spa treatments, many inspired by the native traditions of Mexico and a signature water journey. Other features include a fitness center, 24/7 insuite service, water sports, business center, tennis, baby concierge, Kids Club, and Teens Club. Puerto Vallarta is just a 15-minute drive away. Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit features more than 25,000 square feet of indoor meeting facilities, including the Grand Marissa Ballroom, which consists of more than 6,000 square feet and is easily subdivided into five separate rooms. The resort's facilities also include four other rooms ranging from 681 to more than 1,954 square feet that offer several arrangement variations to maximize meeting productivity and efficiency. The resort has won numerous awards from Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, TripAdvisor, U.S. News and World Report and Forbes. Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit was built and is operated by Eduardo Vela Ruiz, founder and president of Velas Resorts, with brother Juan Vela by his side, vice president of Velas Resorts.