With mezcal cocktails gaining popularity in bars over the last few years, the agave distillate is slowly making its way into the next cocktail trend.
Mezcal is an agave spirit with a distinctive smoky flavour that comes from cooking the agave in underground pit ovens. You can read all about mezcal in our essential guide to mezcal here. Aside from sipping it neat like a whisky, the spirit lends itself well to cocktails – including popular tequila drinks – by adding an element of smoke and earthiness.
This cocktail recipe for Japaleño Mezcal Margarita is a riff on the traditional Margarita that swaps tequila for its smoky cousin, mezcal. The japaleño adds a touch of heat while the coriander (cilantro) complements the vegetal notes of the agave spirit and gives the drink a green hue. Naturally, the choice of mezcal affects the flavour of the drink depending on whether it’s a bold and earthy profile or one with soft smoke and green agave notes.
To Japaleño Mezcal Margarita, simply muddle the ingredients, shake hard and double strain into a short half-rimmed glass and you have a delicious summer drink that both refreshes and packs a punch.
Japaleño Mezcal Margarita Recipe
Ingredients
- 45 ml mezcal
- 30 ml fresh lime juice
- 20 ml agave syrup
- 3 slices of jalapeño
- 6 coriander leaves
- 1 dash orange bitters
Glassware: chilli salt half-rimmed short glass
Garnish: japaleño slice, chilli salt for rimming
Method
Run the cut lime around half the rim of a short glass and dip into the chilli salt. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mezcal with lime juice, agave syrup, sliced japaleño and coriander leaves. Add the orange bitters. Fill shaker with ice and shake hard for 10 seconds. Double strain into a tumbler filled with ice cubes. Garnish with a slice of japaleño.
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