3 Cocktail Recipes with this ingredient.
A smoky, contemporary riff on the classic Negroni that swaps London dry gin for mezcal. The agave smokiness of mezcal weaves beautifully with the bitterness of Campari and the rich herbal sweetness of vermouth. Phil Ward at Death & Company popularized the mezcal Negroni riff. Use a quality joven or espadin mezcal — Del Maguey Vida works beautifully without being overpoweringly smoky.
Joaquín Simó created the Naked & Famous at Death & Company in 2011. Like the Paper Plane, it's built on the elegant equal-parts formula. Mezcal provides smokiness, Aperol brings bitterness and orange sweetness, Yellow Chartreuse adds herbal complexity, and lime juice keeps everything bright. It's the smoky, agave-forward answer to the Paper Plane. The combination is remarkable — better than the sum of its parts.
A modern bar staple that pairs mezcal smokiness with the heat of fresh jalapeño and citrus punch of lime. The jalapeño is muddled directly in the shaker — control heat by removing seeds for mild, leaving them in for serious fire. Tajín on the rim amplifies both citrus and heat. A 50/50 mezcal-reposado split is a great middle ground if you want less smoke. Either way, double-strain to remove jalapeño solids.