Mezcal is hitting the mainstream and it makes the perfect cosy cocktail for Fall, so if you want to try a new serve this Autumn, try mezcal.
If you’re not sure what mezcal is, then check out our article, ‘Tequila vs Mezcal: What’s The Difference?’ In short, it covers all agave-based spirits, whereas tequila is only Blue Weber. It tends to be smokier and more savoury than tequila, which is usually smooth and a little sweet, but just like its more famous partner, it’s malleable during production and the bottled liquid varies hugely.
Trying it in a cocktail is always the best introduction, so let’s indulge in these delightful concoctions that explore mezcal and embrace the season.
Mezcal Martinez
Mezcal replaces gin here for a delicious twist on a classic. It’s a rich combination of cherry and vanilla with herbal undertones and wafts of smoke., balancing sweetness and bitterness perfectly.
Ingredients
50ml mezcal
30ml sweet vermouth
15ml Maraschino liqueur
3 dashes of Angostura
Absinthe rinse
Garnish: orange zest
Method
Stir everything with ice and strain into a chilled glass that’s been rinsed with absinthe, finishing with fresh zest or an orange slice.
Mezcal Cider
This harmonious balance will warm your soul. Inspired by the Margarita, it brings sweet and sour flavours together with the sugary fruits of apple cider and brandy, the sour zip of lemon, the earthy, charred Mezcal and warming aromatics of cinnamon. Delish.
Ingredients
50ml mezcal
20ml apple brandy
70ml apple cider (sweet)
20ml lemon juice
1 dash of Angostura
Garnish: cinnamon, sugar, and apple slice
Method
Use the lemon to wet the rim of the glass and roll it in a cinnamon sugar mix. Next, shake everything else with ice and strain over fresh ice before finishing with an apple slice.
Mezgroni
The Negroni might be the best cocktail in the world for adaptations, and replacing gin with an agave spirit adds amazing flavour. The smoky sweetness locks horns with the herbal bitterness of the Campari, bringing that vermouth and citrus through more noticeably. Simple to make, but complex on the nose and palate.
Ingredients
30ml mezcal
30ml sweet vermouth
30ml Campari
Garnish: orange wheel
Method
Add ingredients to a mixing glass full of ice and stir until thoroughly chilled, before straining into a rocks glass with large ice cubes. Don’t leave out the orange wheel here, it makes all the difference.
Mezcal Mule
Mezcal pairs with the spice of ginger beer deliciously – smoke and spice are paired all the time in food, so why not in mixology?
Ingredients
50ml mezcal
30ml lime juice
120ml ginger beer
Garnish: lime wheels and/or fresh mint
Method
If you’ve got a gorgeous Mule mug then fill it with ice, mezcal and lime juice. Stir until it feels chilled, top up to the top with ginger beer and finish your creation with a lime wheel or sprig of fresh mint. Voila!
Oaxacan Chocolate Hug
Oaxaca is one of the Mexican states most associated with mezcal... but also chocolate, and they just so happen to be a dreamy marriage. On particularly cold Autumn days, the hot chocs start to appear, and the peppery earthy character of mezcal balances against the rich sweetness divinely. Coffee brings some complimentary bitterness for balance, and a gentle dash of citrus rounds it off.
Ingredients
30ml mezcal
30ml coffee liqueur
120ml hot chocolate (dark works well)
A tablespoon of heavy cream
3 dashes of Angostura
Method
You can make hot choc however you usually do, but we like dark chocolate chips added to hot milk, so make this and set it aside. Pour mezcal, liqueur and bitters into a glass or even better, mug. Next, add your hot choc and finally, pour some heavy cream over the back of a spoon slowly and gently, creating an appetising marbling effect.
Mezcal Jackson
Adapted from a Sean Lisik recipe, the Mezcal Jackson has incredible depth of flavour. You might not expect them to fit that well together, but boy do they – smoky almonds, delicate coconut, and luxurious sweetness. Totally unique.
Ingredients
30ml mezcal
30ml amaretto (preferably Disaronno)
30ml coconut rum
3 drops bitters (Bob’s Abbotts)
Method
Simply stir everything with ice and strain over a large chunk of ice and it’s a thing of beauty.
Well, now you just need the most important thing. You can flick through some of our go-to mezcal bottles here!