The Crusta was called a Crusta because of the sugar crusted citrus peel rim that rested just above the rim of a stemmed and widely fluted glass. The designation of cocktail is more dependent on the glassware and rim than the variation of base spirit. Also, lemon juice and an orange liquor seem to be a common theme among Crustas in general. Although originally done with brandy, bourbon and rye whiskey are more often becoming base for the modern palate.

I updated the instruction to include a sugared rim as per Robert Hess and Ted Haigh. I think you are saying that originally the peel itself was crusted. Do you have a reference for that?

Thomas' recipe clearly calls for placing a lemon peel "peeled like an apple" into a "red wine glass" with a sugared rim.

A great cocktail for summer

nice casual drink, not quite tiki but in that realm. doubling the ginger worked better for me

I believe this drink was created by Dale DeGroff. It’s featured in both his own book «The craft of the cocktail» and in Robert Simonson’s app «Modern classics of the cocktail renaissance». Different specs, but obviously the same drink.

Just so we retain them for posterity, there's a variant of this drink that is titled "Authentic Blood and Sand", which is confusing - it's not authentic at all. This recipe is 1 oz Scorpion silver Mezcal, 1 ounce orange juice, 3/4 Cherry Heering, and 3/4 Noilly Prat Rouge, shaken for 20 seconds, strained into a cocktail glass, and garnished with a Maraschino cherry.  Thanks,  Zachary

Used blood orange juice; 1 oz Highland Park 18; 3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (½ Punt-e-Mes, ½ Carpano Antica); ½ oz Cherry Heering. Next time will try with a smokier Scotch.

I like 2 oz Siete Leguas Blanco (or Tequila Ocho), 1 oz lime, 3/4 Cointreau - I tend to be a minimalist... I want to taste the tequila, and it should be tart. I strongly prefer neutral-spirit based orange liqueurs over brandy based ones.

My preferred recipe
2.0 oz Silver/blanco tequila (OR 1.5 oz tequila and 0.5 oz mezcal for a smokey variant)
1.0 oz Citrus juice, freshly squeezed (1 ounce lime juice OR half ounce each of lime juice and lemon juice)
0.75 oz Triple Sec (Cointreau, Pierre Ferrard Dry Curacao, or Creole Shrub)
0.25 oz Agave syrup (If omitting the agave syrup, bump up the triple sec to a full ounce)
Half salted rim

Jo's Margarita

Tequila Blanco - 2 oz
lime and lemon - 1 oz
Orange liqueur (Cointreu works) - 1 oz
Mezcal (spash)
mix with ice
strain

FWIW Christine Wiseman’s recipe unanimously won the Punch blind tasting this year:

• 2 oz Cascahuín blanco 
• 1 oz lime juice 
• 1/2 oz Cointreau 

• 1/2 oz 1:1 agave syrup

  Half salt rim and lime garnish. 

I prefer this ratios: 2oz silver light rum, 3/4 lime,  1/4 rich simple. Shaken with mint and top with 3/4 oz  dry champagne and 1 dash ango.

1oz simple seems too much as well as the recipe in punchdrink calling for 2oz champagne.

I really think the drink is interesting if it remains dry.

Made this tonight, subbing Maurin Quina for the Cherry Heering. This is quite pleasant, and Tiki-ish. Pineapple's always good for texture, and there's something interesting going on between the pineapple and the Benedictine (which makes three winners in my book - pineapple + Cynar, or Benedictine or green Chartreuse). It's a bit sweetish, and quite easy to drink.

I enjoy the PDT recipe.  Nearly the same, but lime juice down to 0.25 oz and add 0.5 oz grenadine.

improved with 1/4 oz. grenadine (the horrible Rose's stuff) which adds needed sugar and color. Also a bit of club soda for the head.