Mezcal consumption has grown quickly over the previous decade, and the thirst for the agave spirit reveals no indicators of slowing. In 2021, U.S. spending on mezcal grew 53 p.c in worth, whereas the spirit made its method into nearly each basic cocktail template, from Negronis to Martinis; it additionally continued its reign in fashionable classics just like the Oaxaca Previous-Normal. This yr, for the primary time, bartenders surveyed by Punch listed mezcal picks as necessities of their wells, a testomony to the rising recognition, and stateside accessibility, of the spirit.
Right here, we’ve rounded up a few of the finest methods to combine with mezcal. Some recipes, like Staff Solely’s Mezcal Margarita, merely swap the spirit in for tequila, whereas others, just like the Fumata Bianca, construct one thing totally new, calling on the ingredient to lend its signature profile between layers of taste. Take a crash course on the spirit, then discover 15 of our favourite straightforward mezcal cocktail recipes beneath.
