The Mezroni

I love the smoky flavor of mezcal. I recently got a new bottle, so I decided to try a variation of a Negroni. I'm a fan of bitter drinks like the Negroni, but mezcal's smokiness can make bitter flavors stronger. To combat this, I used a combination of Campari and Campari's sweeter cousin, Aperol, rather than Campari alone. Additionally, a bit of simple syrup made it a bit smoother. I personally err on the bitter and smoky side, so you may want to further sweeten the drink. I add a small dash of salt to some of my drinks; I think it pulls out some flavors, especially those of tequila and mezcal. You may need to muddle the salt a bit if you use larger grained salt.

The Mezroni

• 1 oz mezcal (I used Loz Danzantes joven)
• 1/2 oz Aperol
• 1/2 oz Campari
• 1 oz sweet vermouth
• 1/2 tsp 1:1 simple syrup
• Small dash of salt

Stir in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The Street Cocktail

This was a quick experiment to try out a new bottle of Canton Ginger liqueur. It isn't perfect; I didn't manage to get the gingery flavor I had hoped for. It's a bit like a variation of the Boulevardier, though, and was still pretty good. Rye might work as well as the bourbon, especially since I used a rye-heavy bourbon. Fiddling with the ratios, especially the vermouth-to-Canton ratio, might improve it.

The Street Cocktail:

• 1.5 oz bourbon (I used Bulleit)
• 1 oz Aperol
• 1 oz sweet vermouth
• 3/4 oz Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur

Combine in a mixing glass. Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The Mud Cocktail

This cocktail came about because I wanted to make a Blood & Sand but lacked a fresh orange. So I improvised. These proportions make a slightly large cocktail at just over 4 ounces - it'll fit in most big modern cocktail glasses, but if you have smaller ones (or if you want a more reasonably sized one) you may want to cut back. I left them this big just because it was the only way to get round number; when I actually made this, I split it between two glasses. You can change the bourbons if you'd like; I used the Bulleit to give the Maker's Mark a bit more bite, because Bulleit is more rye-forward than Maker's Mark (which is more wheat-forward).The chocolate bitters are what transforms this drink - don't leave them out!

The Mud Cocktail

• 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
• 1/2 oz Bulleit Bourbon
• 3/4 oz Makers Mark Bourbon
• 3/4 oz Cherry Heering
• 3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (I used Martini & Rossi)
• 4-5 dashes chocolate bitters (I used The Bitter Truth Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters)

Combine all ingredients in shaker, generously add ice. Shake and strain into a large, chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.