Refreshing Mezcal Cocktail

There were three different inspirations for this mezcal cocktail that all merged together like pennies from heaven.

• • First, my friend Craig told me about muddling rosemary and mint into a classic Moscow Mule. The addition of muddled rosemary and mint was a game-changer.
  • Second, I have a bumper crop of kumquats that I was searching for ways to use. I had already developed a Kumquat Gin and Tonic and a Blood Orange, Gin & Aperol Sangria that are both refreshingly delicious, so I knew there must be additional ways to add these unique citrus to make tasty cocktails.
  • Third, my niece Madi recently began working for Dos Hombres Mezcal and she brought over a bottle to play with. Madi is a level I sommelier and has earned expert certificates for several different liquor categories. Suffice it to say she has a very discerning cocktail palate. The two of us get together occasionally and we have a jolly good time creating new and traditional cocktails. (Check out our Paper Airplane recipe here.)

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Dos Hombres Mezcal

Dos Hombres is the award-winning mezcal company started by Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston, the actors from Breaking Bad. I had never tasted mezcal before and was frankly scared to. I always thought mezcal was closer to peyote than tequila and I can get in more than enough trouble drinking tequila, never mind consuming peyote. Turns out mezcal is not a hallucinogenic and has the same alcohol content as tequila, is smokey delicious and wonderful in cocktails. I am now a convert!

 What is the Difference Between Mescal and Tequila?

Tequila is actually a sub-category of mezcal. Both mezcal and tequila are made from agave, but there are some important differences between the two spirits.

Both are Made From the Agave Piña

Both are made from the core of the agave plant called the piña. Tequila is made only from blue agave where as mezcal can be made from 50+ different varieties of agave.

Labeling of Mezcal is Very Precise

Mezcal is similar to wine in that the type of agave and region where it is grown is identified in detail on the final bottle labeling, much in the same way that the variety of grape and growing region are identified on a bottle of wine. Additionally, mezcal production can be identified down to the particular village where it is produced, which is called a single-village designation. There are nine specific agave growing regions that produce mezcal. If the agave is grown outside these regions, liquor produced with the agave cannot be called mezcal.

Both Mezcal and Tequila are Distilled, but Have Different Preparation Methods

Tequila is steamed prior to distillation. Mezcal is traditionally roasted in lava rock-lined earthen pits that are filled with wood. The burning wood gives the mezcal its signature smokiness. The roasted piña is traditionally smashed on a stone wheel pulled by donkeys to create a pulp which is then distilled. Thus, the significance of the donkeys on the Dos Hombres label.

Both Mezcal and Tequila Are Aged in Oak Barrels

• Tequila is aged for different times to produce the different types of tequila: Blanco: 0 -to 2 months,  Reposadao: 2 -to 12 months, and Anejo: 1 to  3 years.
• Mezcal categories are also determined by age: Blanco or Abacoado: 0 to 2 months, Reposado: 2 to 12 months, and Anejo: 1 year or more.

How We Named This Cocktail

When you come up with a new drink one fun challenge is to come up with a great name. If you are lucky, your name will also be SEO friendly so lots of people can find it on an internet search. I am sure this name is not SEO-friendly, but I love the designation all the same. The way it came about was we were wine tasting at J Dusi Winery in Paso Robles and they offered a delicious Zinfindel blend called Escandalosa on their tasting menu called. Escandalosa translates to "scandalous" in English and apparently was the result of a scandalous employee meeting planned to name the wine.  The meeting may or may not have included dancing on tables. Caley, my son's clever girlfriend, immediately picked up on the Escandalosa name and designated our cocktail Mezcandalosa, a word play on mezcal and escandalosa. I do believe consuming a few of these mezcal cocktails has the potential to liberate you into doing something scandalous!

Kumquats

Kumquats have been a favorite 0f mine since I was a little kid. They are a unique fruit in that the skin is sweet and meant to be eaten, whereas the interior of the fruit is extremely tart and a little bitter. I have two different kumquat trees, including one potted tree that is over 20 years old that I brought with me from my prior home. This little potted plant is extremely prolific, producing hundreds of kumquats each year. I'm told some kumquat trees can produce a thousand fruit or more in a single year.

Tools and Ingredients

To make this cocktail you will need a few tools and ingredients beyond kumquats and mezcal:

• Cocktail shaker & muddler
• Dos Hombres mezcal -- you can order online in many states through Drizzly for 1 hour delivery or through the Dos Hombres website for 1 - 2  day shipments.
• Simple sugar
• Strainer
• Bitters -- I personally like grapefruit and Angostura for this drink. Bitters are not essential, but they do make cocktails better. Bitters are to cocktails what spices is to food.
• Edible flowers -- I grow a variety of pansies and nasturtiums explicitly for garnishing food and cocktails. Flowers are not required to enjoy this mezcal cocktail, but they make the total visual, aromatic, taste and sensory experience all the better.

SNFD is an Amazon affiliate and may make a small commission when you purchase through our links. We have no financial affiliation with Dos Hombres, we just love their product.

How to Make Simple Sugar

Simple sugar is just sugar dissolved in water and can be whipped up in 10 minutes. Simply mix one part sugar and one part water in a pan. I typically use 1/2 cup of each unless I am making cocktails for a large group. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to just above a simmer for about 10 minutes. If you are feeling fancy you can steep a variety of flavorings in the dissolved sugar water such as herbs, citrus zest, slices of ginger, a stick of cinnamon, cardamom or star anise pods. The longer you allow the flavorings to steep, the more flavor the simple sugar will have.

Make This Mezcal Cocktail Springtime-Pretty

Kumquat season peaks in February and March, or the end of winter and the beginning of spring. This bright and refreshing mezcal cocktail feels like a celebration of the end of winter and heralds the start of spring, so I like to make them springtime-pretty. I garnish with some pansies or nasturtiums from my garden, a sprig of both mint and rosemary and a single kumquat split almost in half and secured on the lip of the glass. The final mezcal cocktail feels like a garden party!

More SNFD Kumquat Recipes

• Kumquat Gine & Tonic
• Blood Orange, Gine & Aperol Sangria

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