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The Mezcal Amaro—a smoky, acidic, and spiced cocktail that includes its namesake ingredients, plus ginger beer, grapefruit, and lime juice—is what a Dark & Stormy wants to be. Refreshing and warming, complex but technically straightforward, it upholds a tried-and-true theory: When a drink’s ingredients are delicious on their own, make two.
I made 12 this weekend. Cramped into a house with five of my best friends, it was the perfect group cocktail. Unlike more involved drinks that require specialty ingredients like grenadine or triple sec, every component of the mezcal amaro is useful on its own, meaning my friends were less apprehensive about chipping in for ingredients. Better yet, the cocktail is easily batched: Combine the mezcal, amaro, grapefruit, and lime juice in a large container or pitcher,
and when ready to serve, shake with ice, pour into glasses, and top with ginger beer and a lime wedge.
A Semiserious Guide To Mezcal Cocktails
When complete, you’ll have something that looks like a Long Island iced tea but tastes of smoke, citrus, rosemary, and sage. Ideally served in a Collins glass—but equally enjoyable when poured into a plastic red cup—it’s a drink I can sip at a tailgate or dining table.
While I’d love to lay claim to creating this masterpiece, the mezcal amaro is the brainchild of Frank Caiafa, the former bar manager of Peacock Alley in New York City’s famed Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Known for his “inventive use of house-made infusions, liqueurs, and fresh ingredients,” Frank’s influence permeates through many New York City cocktails. (You’ll find a number of them in the Waldorf Astoria Bar Book, a worthwhile read for anyone that enjoys a well-made drink.)
This weekend, do yourself a favor: grab some friends, pick up whatever mezcal amaro ingredients you’re missing, and enjoy a lesser-known cocktail that deserves more introductions.
Ingredients
| 3 | ounces mezcal (Sombra is suggested) |
| 1 | ounce Averna amaro |
| 1 1/2 | ounces fresh grapefruit juice |
| 2/3 | ounce lime juice |
| 4 | ounces ginger beer (Fever Tree or Q is suggested) |
| 3 | ounces mezcal (Sombra is suggested) |
| 1 | ounce Averna amaro |
| 1 1/2 | ounces fresh grapefruit juice |
| 2/3 | ounce lime juice |
| 4 | ounces ginger beer (Fever Tree or Q is suggested) |
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Have you tried the mezcal amaro? Let us know in the comments below!
