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.