Very refreshing, delicate and nicely balanced. We thought that 6 drops of Rose Water wasn't too much and that, to complement the basil, a dash of Angostura enhanced the garnish (both in appearance and taste). As a 'stiffer backbone' version, an added 15ml Havana Club Original Rum worked for us and we suspect that Vodka might do so as well...at that volume we don't think that the spirit overpowered the elegant play between watermelon, lemon, basil and rose. Anyway, bravo. It's interesting how, when juiced, watermelon expresses a hint of bitterness. We served it in a Collins glass, where it sat very comfortably.

Many thanks for bringing to my attention, Patrick. As you say, it should be "glass," not "shaker." Now corrected.

Am I right to assume that "in base of shaker" in step 3. should be "in glass"? I was thinking I could muddle in a shaker and then put in the glass, but I think I would lose too much of the mint.

Not bad, it moved into four star territory after it warmed a bit. For me the bianco vermouth (Dolin) was slightly off kilter with the other flavors initially. Might try this again sub Cocchi Americano.

Nice, but a bit sweet. I would place the sweetness at a 7 and not an 8. If have again, but adjust the recipe to adjust the sweetness. Not the greatest cocktail, but OK.

Just tried today. This is an excellent cocktail. I don't have Meletti, so I combined Averna, Lucano, and Ramazotti. I also combined Cointreau and Curaçao. It mostly tastes like a mezcal and tequila Manhattan, with those spirits being the most prominent flavours.

It must be me as I found it quite sweet. I had a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Ruby in the kitchen (as you do!) and added 20ml which helped.

Fab. It works.

We used a Rutherglen aged dry flor (at half the volume of the recommended Amontillado) to stand up against the other 'big' ingredients. Anyway, bravo to the creator.

I used juice from canned pineapples and frozen mint leaves. Very nice without double straining, small flakes of mint still giving flavor and texture in the drink.

A 'big' and delicious sour. Our advice is to ignore the superficially pleasing maths of the recipe's volumes and increase the volume of lemon juice. Commentor Leslie went with a high bid of an additional 10ml but we were okay with just 5ml extra. And our starting point, using ml as the measure, was 25ml for each of the main ingredients.

I made the original version today with 2 strawberries using Haymans gin. I would change to Tanqueray next time because Haymans IMHO is too floral for this cocktail.

Extraordinary cocktail. As previously mentioned, it’s as if the layers of flavor form a line and wait their turn to greet you. Big fan of the one oz measure also noted in a post

Thank you! I'll try the chili and lime rim!

Came here after 'Yellow Cactus Flower' and this is the upper class version, but is so well behaved is a little boring. Certainly equilibrated but the marriage of the mezcal and the gin, is the kind of union like Salma Hayek and Pinault, yes certainly now the mezcal is refined, but when it was rough we had from Dusk til Dawn.

I came here form la 'Ultima Palabra' -same considerations about mezcal profiles. But in this case the taste is exactly TEPACHE. A mexcian beverage made of fermented pineapple with a very low proof. If you take out the mezcal it will be exactly the flavour. They sell it in little towns, in the ranchos, even kids drink it. Is really surprising to taste this flavor of my childhood. I have said before, but I love mixology for this alchemys, not quite expected, but surprising.

I’m not a real fan of gentian root (pretty sure it’s the main reason I don’t like Campari), but don’t mind a bitter cocktail.

I subbed out the gentian for bitter bianco and return a little depth by replacing the Blanco with a reposado.

I call it the Aged & Mellow

this is a weird one for me, tomato and bacon that comes right to my mind

Very delicious, summer, herbal but packs a punch.

We really enjoyed this. So much so that we decided to try to turn it into a Margarita.

45ml Reposado Tequila
25ml Giffard Ginger of the Indies
15ml Cointreau
22.5ml Lime Juice
5ml Giffard Sirop Grenade
4 drops Bob's Margarita Bitters

Maybe up the Cointreau a bit if it's missing a bit of sweet and depth or split the syrup 50:50 Grenade and Agave, but now, perhaps, we're splitting hairs.. Cheers.

Many thanks both for the explanation. I've added the origin of the name and a note about Mario Moreno above.

I made the same sub. Well balanced that way, especially because my stomach is sensitive to lime.

In the most fashionable areas of Mexico City if you ask for salsa-chile it will not be really spicy, because is dimmed for the taste of the USA population living here since pandemic as remote workers... Oddly enough about tequilas & mezcales the same thing happen. If Tequila for USA it will taste Vanilla, lower profile, less rough. Teramana or 818 tequila, or even Casa Amigos are not to be sold in Mx only in USA. This, because even when I love Del Maguey Vida - is the only Mezcal with green bottle- has a very subtle taste profile, a velvet mezcal. When I made this Ultima Palabra, I use one of my fiery bold 'hijo de su chin... madre ' mezcales (Union) and the taste of the pineapple is buried into the smokiness. So next I would try with one for USA market quite sure the taste will be different.
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You see! I know my business. Now is completly different: the pineapple is above the mezcal - Dos Hombres the one of Breaking Bad stars'- As a matter of fact it taste a lot like TEPACHE a traditional pineapple ferment of a very low proof, served in the streets -no industrial version- but I think the flavour could improve with yellow chartreuse and not green since this tepache I told you is not herbal. If you have the opportunity do not miss.

:D *mitful*