Mezcal Blackberry Smash
Mezcal. Just the name sounds mysterious. Mysterious and sexy. Mysterious, sexy and a little bit exciting. Or maybe I’m just letting my imagination run away with me (probably not the first time, certainly not the last). If you’ve never mezcal’d (totally a word), think of it as tequila’s smokier cousin. Not to get too mired in semantics, they’re both made from agave, they’re both amazing, just mezcal is often baked underground for a smoky, sultry flavor, while tequila is often delicately baked above ground for a more agave-y, less (no) smoky flavor. You can think of mezcal like a serious bourbon or scotch. In fact, that’s just what we did. Hello there, Mezcal Blackberry Smash.
Notice how that it’s getting a little warmer out we’re starting to talk more about berry, fruity and lighter drinks? That’s what we call seasonal drinking folks. Join the revolution!
In all honesty, I’m happy to drink most anything if the mood strikes, but when it’s nice out I really do appreciate an easy sipper. However, you need some character in your cocktail. If you just want a sweet bomb, go have an Otter Pop.
That’s where Montelobos Mezcal Joven joins our cocktail. Serious smoke, sweet, vegetal, funky in a good way — it’s a serious mezcal that lets you know you’re having a drink. This makes it not just the cocktail you deserve, but the one you need right now.
For a mezcal like this, we had to refer to a classic like the Blackberry Smash. When you take inspiration, you might as well take inspiration from something darn tasty. In the traditional Blackberry Smash, you find bourbon. We replaced that for Montelobos Mezcal Joven.
Then, we tossed out the lemon juice in favor of lime juice. As most people know, lime juice and tequila are good buddies (hello Margarita) — and since mezcal is extra awesome tequila, it stands to reason that lime juice goes extra awesome with it. Sure enough, it does.
Finally, it was just a matter of removing the simple syrup (which you’ll almost always see us do, I don’t just want sweet, I want character) for agave nectar. When you get a chance to double down, you take it.
With that, you have yourself a great afternoon sipper. Make it a double and share with a friend.
Now, get ready to release your mountain wolf and let’s get down to Mezcal Blackberry Smash business!
- 2 oz. mezcal
- 7 blackberries
- ¾ oz. lime juice
- ½ oz. agave nectar
- Glass type: old fashioned
- Skewer three of your blackberries, set aside.
- Add the rest of your blackberries, mezcal, lime juice and agave nectar to your shaker.
- Muddle.
- Because muddling is awesoming.
- Add ice.
- Shake.
- Place container of shaken cocktail onto your counter of choice.
- Add ice to your old-fashioned glass.
- Pour shaken cocktail into your glass.
- Garnish with skewered blackberries.
- Sip.
- Mezcal!