Smokey Bandito

The smoky, earthy tones of mezcal provide a flavorful foundation for this basic sour sweetened with the slow burn of Tabasco-accented syrup.

2 oz. mezcal
1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
¾ oz. poblano-Tabasco syrup (see below)
Tools: shaker, strainer
Glass: rocks
Garnish: whole dried chile pepper; smoked paprika

Add all ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake until chilled, strain into an ice-filled glass and garnish.

Poblano-Tabasco Syrup: Combine 2 cups of granulated sugar with 2 cups of water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Split and remove the seeds from a poblano pepper and add to the syrup, along with 1 oz. of Tabasco sauce. Cover and simmer the mixture over low heat for 20 minutes; strain and let cool. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Ryan Iriarte, High Hat, New Orleans