Skip advertisement Advertisement

Cannonball

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (73)
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
2 fl oz Del Maguey Vida Clásico Mezcal
1/3 fl oz Luxardo Apricot Albicocca Liqueur
1/2 fl oz Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
5/6 fl oz Pineapple juice
3 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters

How to make

Glassware

Serve in a Cantaritos clay pot or Collins glass

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill a CANTARITOS CLAY POT OR COLLINS GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of quarter pineapple slice wheel and lime slice wheel.

Method

  1. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  2. STRAIN into glass/pot filled with crushed ice.

Garnish

  1. Garnish with pineapple and lime slices.
  2. Serve with a straw.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 8/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 8/10

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Cannonball contains 162 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.6 standard drinks
  • 18.97% alc./vol. (37.94° proof)
  • 22.6 grams of pure alcohol
Skip advertisement Advertisement

History

Adapted from a recipe created in 2020 by Beau du Bois, Bar Director of Puesto, a Mexican restaurant and bar in San Diego, USA.

Review

Dry, mezcal-forward and very refreshing with pineapple, lime and a touch of apricot.

Cocktail of the day:

9th March 2026 is National Meatball Day

Skip advertisement Advertisement

Gallery

Skip advertisement Advertisement

Comments & Discussion

Egg McKenzie
I enjoyed this drink. Hotel Nacional vibes with a nice smoky mezcal kick 🦵
score: 2
Egg McKenzie
WHAT ON EARTH DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH EATING MEATBALLS
score: 2
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
For community members not seeing your comment in context, it was National Meatball Day on March 9th, and the Cannonball was our Cocktail of the Day. Egg, in answer to your question: Meatball + Cannonball = Balls.
score: 4
Caspian Berggren Premium Member
Mmmh I don't know about this one. I really want it to work, and on paper I feel like it should, but it's just not hitting my buttons. It's too dry is it's biggest problem. The Mezcal needs to be tempered with some Agave or something. The Apricot is barely noticeable, if at all. The pineapple is definitely pleasant, and brings everything together as much as it can, but it's just not enough to control the Mezcal.
score: 1
Christopher Day
This was surprisingly drier than I had first imagined; very refreshing. Having a hankering for just a touch of sweetness but not just that, I ended up adding 1/3oz of Ancho Reyes (red) for subtle sweetness and a little fire and this seemed to work out very nicely.
score: 1
G. M. Genovese Premium Member
I must have made this 4-5x as many different ways. The observations and recommendations below are on point. The version I settled on was: 50 ml mezcal, 20 ml each apricot/lime/pineapple, 7.5 ml agave syrup. Served up... The apricot liqueur and pineapple need to be 1:1, otherwise, one dominates the other... Don't serve on crushed ice unless you increase the apricot liqueur or agave.
score: 2
G. M. Genovese Premium Member
I screwed up earlier and made this with French peach liqueur. Just tried this again with Rothman & Winter. Same specs I settled on earlier, which still hold up. But now the apricot is possibly a touch too much. A frustrating concoction.
score: 1
Niccolò Murtas
I would suggest to try, perhaps not with your best or second best-mezcal, to avoid ice dilution as much as possible. While I think the cocktail is excellent in its ability to convey the best of the ingredients, thus restraining the drinker from thinking "Yes but I poured in a good mezcal and I almost cannot feel it" , either dry shake (which I have seen only in cocktails with eggs as an ingredient, so I do not know how recommended might it be for our case) or avoid the crushed ice
score: 2
Josh Ryan
Little too dry/tart for my taste, so I added about 1/3 oz of honey syrup which worked out pretty well. I'd say agave syrup would be fine too, I just happened to grab the honey first.
score: 4
Ignacy Szczupal Premium Member
I agree but in my opinion it's the mezcal that is overdosed here which gives the whole thing an earthy taste. You feel like you are drinking lime flavoured mezcal. I cut out half of the mezcal (30ml) and replaced it with 30 ml of tequila reposado which balances it out.
score: 3