While it is standard that a margarita uses Tequila as the alcohol, why not try it with Mezcal. It is an alcohol also made from the agave plant (tequila only uses the blue agave) and it has a rich, smoky flavor. I personally feel it is a better alcohol and adds much more body to a cocktail like the mezcal margarita. The receipt is basically the same as a regular margarita, with the substitution of mezcal for tequila, and garnished with some lime zest.
Recently, mezcal has started gaining quite a bit of popularity outside Mexico as their imports have been steadily increasing. In Mexico, mezcal is traditionally drunk straight, not in cocktails. However that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative and use it however you want. Alcohol is for you to enjoy. I first tried mezcal straight from a producer in Oaxaca and immediately thought to myself, ‘why is tequila so much more popular than this?’
Mezcal Margarita Ingredients
- 60 ml (2 oz) Mezcal
- 1/2 Lemon; juiced
- 1/2 Lime; juiced
- 30 ml (1 oz) Triple Sec
- 1 tsp Maple Syrup
- Rock Salt; for the rim
Mezcal Margarita Instructions
1. In a cocktail shaker add ice, mezcal, the lemon and lime juice, triple sec, and the maple syrup. Shake well.
2. Run a lime wedge around the edge of a glass and roll the rim in some rock salt. Pour the shaker contents into the glass ice and all. Garnish with lime zest and a lime wedge if you wish.
Note
The maple syrup is not 100% needed, but it does impart a nice flavor to the drink. It is a replacement for the standard sugar, but if you prefer you can just use a bit of simple syrup to balance some of the drinks tartness.
Mezcal Margarita
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail Shaker
- 1 glass
Ingredients
- 60 ml Mezcal 2 oz
- 1/2 Lemon juiced
- 1/2 Lime juiced
- 30 ml Triple Sec 1 oz
- 1 tsp Maple Syrup
- Rock Salt for the rim
Instructions
- Rim the edge of the glass with a lime wedge and coat with rock salt.
- In a shaker add the rest of the ingredients, give a good hard shake.
- Pour contents into the salt rimmed glass and serve.
