This smoked cocktail is a twist on the classic negroni. Made with smoked
simple syrup and mezcal it’s the perfect smoky cocktail for cocktail parties.
Since there are only 3 ingredients, the negroni is open to endless
experimentation. Sub bourbon for the gin and you have a boulevardier. Sub
prosecco for the vermouth and you have a sbagliatto. The list goes on and
on.
As a cocktail expert, brands sometimes send me samples of high quality
spirits. One brand sent me some very fine tequila reposado. Naturally, as I
am a big fan of negronis, I decided to make a tequila negroni.
Table Of Contents
What is Mezcal?
Later that week, my cousin was moving, so he gave me
most of his liquor, including a bottle of mezcal. In a nutshell, mezcal is a
liquor made from distilled agave. But so is tequila. So what’s the difference
between tequila and mezcal?
Here’s the skinny: mezcal is defined as any agave-based liqueur, which is a
very broad umbrella. Tequila is only considered tequila if it is made from
blue agave, and just as champagne can only come from the Champagne
region of France, tequila can only come from the Mexican city of Tequila
and its surroundings.
Mezcal has a noticeably smokier taste than tequila, and this smokiness
comes from a process in which the piñas (or hearts of the agave plant) are
slowly roasted in an underground pit for about 3 days. They are then
crushed and left to ferment.
INGREDIENTS
For the Cocktail
- 1 ounce Campari
- 1 ounce Mezcal
- 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
- 1/4 ounce Simple Smoked Syrup
For the decoration - 1 sliced orange on wheels
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Move the oven rack to high (about 3-4 inches from the flame) and
preheat the broiler.
2. Dry the orange slices with a paper towel and place them on a 9×13
baking sheet. Place them in the grill and cook for 10 minutes on each
side. Leave to cool.
3. Add ice to a glass with ice. Add Campari, mezcal, sweet vermouth and
smoked simple syrup. Stir well and garnish with a charred orange
wheel.
Smoky Mezcal Negroni
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Campari
- 1 ounce Mezcal
- 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
- 1/4 ounce Simple Smoked Syrup
- For the decoration
- 1 sliced orange on wheels
Instructions
1. Move the oven rack to high (about 3-4 inches from the flame) andpreheat the broiler.
2. Dry the orange slices with a paper towel and place them on a 9×13baking sheet. Place them in the grill and cook for 10 minutes on eachside. Leave to cool.
3. Add ice to a glass with ice. Add Campari, mezcal, sweet vermouth andsmoked simple syrup. Stir well and garnish with a charred orangewheel.
