No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
The Zapatero Old Fashioned
Measurements in:
Serves:
| 1 1⁄2 fl oz | Del Maguey Vida Clásico Mezcal |
| 1⁄2 fl oz | Bourbon bonded-strength (50% alc./vol.) |
| 1⁄4 fl oz | Monin Almond (Orgeat) Syrup |
| 1 dash | Angostura Aromatic Bitters |
| 12 drop | Mole bitters |
How to make
Glass
Photographed in an UB 1910 Old Fashioned 10.5oz
Prepare
- Select and pre-chill an OLD-FASHIONED GLASS.
- Prepare garnish of orange twist, grated cinnamon, and a skewered candied cranberry.
Method
- STIR all ingredients with ice.
- STRAIN into ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice).
Garnish
- EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.
- Garnish with a light dusting of freshly grated cinnamon and a skewered candied cranberry.
Flavour Profile
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Health & Nutrition
Nutrition:
One serving of The Zapatero Old Fashioned contains 163 calories
Alcohol content:
- 1.5 standard drinks
- 30.82% alc./vol. (61.64° proof)
- 21 grams of pure alcohol
History
Adapted from a recipe created in 2013 by Jeremy Lake while bartending at Crossroads Kitchen on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, California.
Jeremy explains the structural philosophy behind his cocktail – "The bilingual name "The Zapatero" is a deliberate, mathematical reflection of the recipe's physical proportions. The English component ("The") represents the smaller portion of the base spirit-½ oz of American Bourbon. The Spanish component ("Zapatero") represents the larger portion-1 ½ oz of Mexican Mezcal."
The Zapatero
Original recipe, Jeremy Lake, via email in September 2026
- 1½ oz Mezcal
- ½ oz High-Proof Bourbon
- ¼ oz Orgeat Syrup
- 1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters
- 1 dash Chocolate or Mole Bitters
Garnish: Orange twist, a light dusting of freshly grated cinnamon, and 1 candied cranberry on a pick.
Notes: The original specification featured a premium cask-strength bourbon, but due to modern pricing, any high-quality 100+ proof bourbon works beautifully to cut through the syrup.
The original recipe explicitly requires a single candied cranberry. The intention is for the guest to alternate sips of the cocktail with small bites of the tart cranberry, which provides a necessary acidic counterpoint to balance the rich, nutty layers of the orgeat.
Review
Delicately bittered and chocolate-spiced mezcal and bourbon, lifted by subtle, rich almond.
$2.80 per cocktail*
Makes a minimum of 16.5 cocktails.
Shipping and applicable tax calculated at checkout.
Orders are processed by a licensed Fulproof retailer. The buy now button is added simply for convenience.
* May not include all ingredients. Price per cocktail is an estimate based on cost of one cocktail with ingredients shown above and does not include shipping.
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Comments & Discussion
I used Monin Orgeat and would dial it back a touch to give the Bitters a bit of a chance.
View 4 comments and discussion