My friend Matt (@bostonbarhopper) told me that he’s been on a Mezcal Negroni kick recently. And not just at home – he’s been ordering it in bars all over town. It’s not a common drink, but the Negroni is, and it’s not too difficult to tell a bartender to swap out the usual gin for mezcal. He made me realize that I had never made this particular Negroni variation before. And since I had just gotten a couple of bottles of El Silencio Mezcal in the mail for an Instagram partnership, I remedied that as soon as possible.
It’s been a while since I’ve made anything with mezcal on the blog, so let’s briefly review what we know about it. Mezcal is actually the word for any agave spirit; technically, tequila is a type of mezcal that is made from blue agave. Because the definition is so broad, mezcal can vary quite a bit in flavor depending on the kind of agave used, the terroir of the region, and the process by which it is made. Traditionally, the heart of the agave plant, or piña, is roasted for several days in an underground pit, which imparts a smoky flavor to the spirit. You can basically think of mezcal as a really smoky-tasting tequila (even though, if we’re being accurate, tequila is actually a non-smoky mezcal).
Mezcal is definitely an acquired taste, but so is the Negroni. If you’re already a fan of both, I think you’ll love this Mezcal Negroni. The agave blends quite nicely with the sweet vermouth and Campari, and the smoky flavor is a beautiful addition to the cocktail. The mezcal is far from overpowering; in fact, I altered the usual equal-parts recipe to increase the amount of mezcal to help balance out the drink. I had some fun with my garnish, but a simple orange twist will suffice!
Mezcal Negroni
1.5 oz. mezcal
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1 oz. Campari
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube and garnish with an orange twist.