Rio Bravo: A Tropical Mezcal Cocktail
Photo: Eric Medsker
A smoky and spicy refresher.
Raines Law Room head bartender Ben Zapien created this tropical mezcal cocktail as an ode to the sweet-spicy slushies he enjoyed while growing up in Mexico City. “It reminds me of the time I went to my first year of high school before moving to New York,” Zapien says. “There was always a street vendor outside when school was over. They had flavored raspados, and the spicy one was called ‘diablito.’ ”
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz. mezcal (Zapien uses Del Maguey Vida)
- 1 oz. fresh pineapple juice
- 1/2 oz. Gran Classico
- 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz. chipotle honey syrup
- 1 dash saline solution (1:1 salt to water)
- Tools:shaker, strainer
- Glass:Hurricane glass
- Garnish:pineapple fronds, lime wheel, brandied cherry, dusting of ancho powder
Preparation
Add all of the ingredients to an ice-filled shaker and shake briefly. Strain into a glass, then top with crushed ice. Garnish.
Chipotle Honey Syrup Make 10 oz. of honey syrup (3:1 honey to water), then blend on high with one 1 oz. of chipotle sauce (about 2 minutes). Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.