Here are all the best mezcal cocktails to try! This Mexican spirit adds a smoky nuance to mixed drinks from the mule to the margarita.
Are you a mezcal fan? This smoky Mexican liquor is having a moment: its bold, smoky flavor has cocktail connoisseurs everywhere swooning. This spirit is great when it’s mixed into a drink to perfection: too much and it completely overpowers the flavors. So when you want to use it…think about these great mezcal cocktail recipes!
Here a few of our top mezcal cocktails to make at home! Of course, it’s stellar with lime and tequila as as margarita. And it works just as well with ginger beer in a copper mug as a mule. Here are a few more great ideas on how to infuse this smoky flavor into your favorite cocktails.
And now…the top mezcal cocktails to try!
One of the best mezcal cocktails? A next level margarita! Adding the rich, smoky flavor of mezcal to a margarita is a no-brainer: it goes hand in hand with the tangy lime! With one sip, we were sold. If you love smoky flavors and can handle a bit of boozy punch in your drinks, you’ll fall hard for this margarita.
Looking for a complex, sippable drink? Here’s a mezcal cocktail that improves on the classic: the mezcal Negroni! This drink takes all that’s good about a Negroni, and makes it even better. The intense smokiness of mezcal perfectly balances the sweetness of the vermouth and bitterness of Campari. Spin-offs of the Negroni are much more fun than the real thing (like the Boulevardier and the Americano. And this one is a huge treat!
If you’re a Mezcal lover, run don’t walk to to mix up this one: the Oaxaca Old Fashioned! This modern classic cocktail is the pristine union of smoky mezcal, tequila, sweet agave and chocolate bitters. Take one sip, and you’ll take your hat off to the bartender who cooked this one up in 2007.
The Naked and Famous cocktail is as impressive as its name...from first sip! It’s got only four ingredients but beautifully balanced, the perfect harmony of smoky, citrus, bitter and sweet. This modern cocktail was created in 2011, but it’s got nods to the past alluding to a historic cocktail that we know and love. It’s crisp, fresh, modern with a retro flair…in fact, it might be kind of perfect.
Love mezcal? Then you must try a mezcal mule! This spin on the classic Moscow mule cocktail has a hint of smoke is full of bubbly, tangy flavor. Using the tequila-based smoky liquor infuses a sharpness to every sip! It’s balanced with tequila to smooth it out: and man, is it good! Over here we love making variations on the Moscow mule, and this one is quite the party trick. Here’s how to make it!
Want a signature drink that’s sweet, tart, salty, and smoky all at once? Meet the mezcal paloma. This mezcal cocktail has everything you need in a drink. The sweetness of grapefruit juice contrasts the tart lime and bubbly soda water. Top it off with a background smokiness of mezcal and a salt rim, and it couldn’t be more fun. This spin on the paloma is definitely worth adding to your collection.
More about mezcal
Want to grab a bottle for all these mezcal cocktails? Here’s a bit more about this smoky Mexican spirit and how it’s made:
- Mezcal is a type of alcohol made from the agave plant (like tequila). Tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila. Only one type of agave plant (blue agave) makes tequila, but mezcal can be made from 11 different varieties of agave. Read more at Mezcal vs Tequila
- How is mezcal made? What gives mezcal its signature smoky flavor is cooking the agave in pits in the ground. It brings a depth and smokiness you don’t find in tequila.
- How much does mezcal cost? A bottle of mezcal on average costs between $20 and $40, but high end brands can cost much more.
- What’s the best mezcal to buy? Go to The Best Mezcal at Any Price.
Mezcal Margarita
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
Description
Make a mezcal margarita for a smoky spin on the classic! It’s tangy and smoke-forward, giving this popular cocktail a rich depth.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) mezcal
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) tequila blanco or reposado
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) Cointreau
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) fresh lime juice
- Kosher salt or flaky sea salt, for the rim
- For the garnish: Lime circle
Instructions
- Cut a notch in a lime wedge, then run the lime around the rim of a glass. Dip the edge of the rim into a plate of flaky sea salt (or for a festive look, use Margarita Salt).
- Place the mezcal, tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with 4 ice cubes and shake until cold.
- Strain the margarita into the glass with the salted rim. Fill the glass with ice and serve.
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
Keywords: Mezcal cocktails, Mezcal margarita
More cocktail recipes
There are so many types of cocktail recipes to try! Here are some of our best drink collections:
- Amaretto Cocktails From the Amaretto Sour to the Italian margarita.
- Vermouth Cocktails All the best drinks using dry or sweet vermouth.
- Vodka Cocktails Try the greats like the Gimlet and Mule.
- Sour Cocktails All the very best sours: Whiskey Sour, Sidecar, Mojito and more.
- Cointreau Cocktails All the great drinks using this orange liqueur.
- Gin Cocktails All the classics: Gin Fizz, Tom Collins, Gin & Tonic, etc.
- Bourbon Cocktails Try these bourbon greats, like the Old Fashioned and Manhattan.
- Scotch Cocktails Unique mixed drinks using this Scottish whisky.
- Campari Cocktails Brilliant red cocktails starring this bitter liqueur.
