Drink This: Tequila And Whiskey Are Fast Friends At Masa Azul

I don't often choose a cocktail based on its name. But when I was at Masa Azul trying to decide between two drinks that sounded up my alley, I went with the one called Fast Friends because the words made me smile. I've always loved the feeling when you meet someone and, within the first five minutes, think: "I'm going to like this person." Fast friends.

The drink ($12) is a spin on a vieux carre, the New Orleans-born cocktail that teams rye whiskey, cognac, vermouth, Benedictine and two types of bitters. The twist: Bartenders at Masa scrap the cognac and instead introduce the rye to their other pal, tequila. The two become — you guessed it — fast friends.

Learn more about this odd hybrid cocktail.