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Pairs unbelievably well with a Terry's chocolate orange. Substituted the expressed fresh orange for charred dehydrated orange which also works well. I wonder if the previous poster suggesting notes of cocoa (dash of chocolate bitters?) might be onto something.
I tried this with an overproof Spanish brandy in place of the cognac and man, was it gorgeous! I was a bit concerned about the amount of Maraschino, but it absolutely worked with the brandy and the Mezcal. It enhanced the tobacco notes of the mezcal and brandy without actually overpowering anything. It just leaves a lovely sweet note on the finish.
The Punt E Mes is the real hero though, fantastic choice. It keeps everything in check without dominating the flavour, yet it makes itself known with a certain bitterness on the finish. Love it.
This recipe is delightful! I made a few adjustments, using Doc Swinson’s Alter Ego Cask Strength in place of the cognac, Del Maguey Las Milpas, and Carpano Antica instead of Punt e Mes. The flavors are well balanced and delicious but with slightly higher abv.
Absolutely delicious. I really liked the smoke that the Del Maguey Vida bought to this drink, but having read the comments, and with no alternate mescal to hand, tried dialing the mezcal down and upped the cognac to compensate 0.5:1. Different balance, but enjoyed that too.
Excellent, added to favorites. I used a rather smoky espadin, Montelobos. Punt E Mays is perfect here, full bodied and fruity, merges with the cognac (VS); and the maraschino plus orange zest reminiscient of a Perfectly Straight Blood and Sand or some variety of a Manhattan.
Just made this again with a French XO brandy and Apaluz, an artesanal joven mezcal made from Agave durangensis. More of a controlled burn than a dumpster fire. Had to add a plus to the five stars and a heart!
Thanks for the advice! The smoliness of my mescal clearly overpowers the rest of the ingredients, that ought to blend well. Not sure how to find a less smoky mezcal in Sweden, though…
Nice one! I got subtle cocoa notes from it, interestingly. The balance might depend on the mezcal you use; I used Mezcal Verde (slightly smoky but rather light) and found it just right.
I think this is one of the finest Mezcal cocktails, because it blends so nicely with the other ingredients. Not sure if it matters but I used Carpano Antica as vermouth.
A perfect example of why Mezcal does not play well with others. Its pungent smokiness overwhelms all the other ingredients. This cocktail tastes like a forest fire.
Completely agree Howard. Punt e mes is the biggest bully of a vermouth there is. Maraschino is a bully. Peychauds are a bully. I couldn't taste anything but the mezcal either. Bit pointless.
Illegal joven, Pierre Fernand 1840, Luxardo maraschino, Punt e Mes.