5 Mezcal cocktails to surprise your friends

Like with other spirits, there’s a division about how to drink mezcal. Many bartenders and mezcal lovers recommend drinking it neat to enjoy its original taste. But there are enthusiasts who could not resist mixing it and preparing tasty cocktails. Based on personal experience and taste, some traditional cocktails, like mojitos, get really boosted to an alternative and delicious level with mezcal.

Here you have 5 mezcal cocktails you can easily prepare for your friends to toast in a Mexican style.

Paloma with mezcal

Let’s start with a well-known cocktail, the Paloma. This is a very popular tequila cocktail (what is tequila?) but you will totally surprise your guests with its mezcal version. Tequila and mezcal have very different flavors. The smoky, earthy, floral, or fruity notes of mezcal (depending on the mezcal you choose) will make a big difference.

The protagonist of your ingredient list is mezcal (45 ml-1.5 oz). Choose the one you prefer and if you still don’t know how to choose one, check our article (All about the mezcal).

Then you need grapefruit (90 ml-3 oz) and lime (7.5 ml-0.25 oz) juices. Tonic water, salt, and a slice of grapefruit. Prepare a highball glass.

Get a shaker with ice and combine within it the mezcal, the juices and shake them up. Get a highball, rimmed with the salt, and add the amount of ice you like. Then strain the mixture. Fill the glass to the top with tonic water. And add the final touch, sit the slice of grapefruit in.

Mojito with mezcal

If you are a mojito lover, don’t take this as aggression against rum. We also like it! But you should give it a try to its mezcal version.

To prepare a mojito with mezcal you need peppermint or mint leaves (6 or more), fresh lime juice (30 ml-1 oz), white sugar (one teaspoon) or simple syrup (15 ml-0.5 oz), soda, ice, mezcal (45 ml-1.5 oz), and a long drink glass.

First, put the sugar in the glass. Like this, it will get mixed with the ingredients that are coming. Add ice, lime juice, mezcal, and peppermint or mint leaves. Grind a bit the leaves for them to release their aroma and taste, but don’t break them totally. They add taste but they are also part of the decoration. Fill the glass to the top with soda. Sit a slice of lime in the rim of the glass.

Strawberry frozen Margarita with mezcal

The already popular Margarita gets refreshed with this sexy mezcal version.

You need a Margarita glass or any glass with a wide rim for adding salt or sugar, what you prefer. Mexicans add a little bit of chili (Tajín) to this mix. Just run a lime around the rim of the glass and dip it into sugar or salt to get the rim coated.

Get in a blender, ice (2 cups), strawberries or strawberry syrup, lime juice (30 ml-1 oz), honey (15 ml-0.5 oz), and mezcal (45 ml-1.5 oz). Once the mixture gets slushy, pour it into the glass and sit a lime slice in the rim.

Sunset with mezcal

To think about sunset directly sends us to a chill mood, Summer, beach, and a delicious drink.

Get a Martini cup or a long glass and put it in the freezer 10 minutes before you prepare the cocktail. You can also add ice if you like.

Then, add orange juice (100 ml-3.4 oz), mezcal (45 ml-1.5 oz), grenadine (15 ml-0.5 oz), and finally, a splash of soda to get the red hue at the top (sunset). If you put the grenadine first, it will be at the bottom of the glass so you will get a Sunrise cocktail instead. If oranges are not sweet enough, you can add sugar or simple syrup. To decorate, get a couple of orange slices or a cherry and sit them on the rim.

Now enjoy a fresh mezcal cocktail, a sunset with a unique smoky accent. Cheers!

Tamarind, mole, and mezcal cocktail

If you reached this point is because you are an adventurous drinker who is looking for more. Well, we have more for you. A cocktail that offers you the taste of Mexico in every sip.

You will need a mole. There are many types of the delicious mole in Mexico. For this cocktail, we recommend you buy black mole. Its taste includes spicy (cinnamon, chili, anise), peanut, and chocolate notes.

Get ready a Margarita glass or any glass with a wide rim. Mix a bit of salt with sugar and sesame. Run a lime around the rim of the glass and dip it into the mix to get the rim coated. Add ice to the glass.

Then take a blender and add the mole (1 teaspoon) and tamarind syrup (59 ml-2 oz). Pour this into the glass. Then add mezcal (45 ml-1.5 oz) and fill the glass to the top with soda.

Get a slice of lime or a couple of them and decorate the rim.

This is a really exotic Mexican combination. Tamarind acidity, combined with the ancient tradition and deep taste of mole, and mezcal produce a memorable pleasure in your palate.

 
We recommend you use fresh fruits and juices for preparing these cocktails. But if you can't get them, you can buy syrups in the supermarket. The main objective is not to stop the fun!

Conclusion

Mezcal is a delicious and interesting Mexican spirit. Be sure that drinking it neat or in a cocktail will be a pleasant experience. The last decision about which way is better is totally yours! Share your comments and experience with PackandGo.info ! Cheers!
If you like to know more about mezcal, check our article "Mexican mezcal is a sip of heaven - Interesting facts about mezcal".