Alongside tacos and tequila, the Margarita is one of Mexico's most famous food and drink exports. So, why not make use of another Mexican favorite and make it a Mezcal Margarita?
The classic Margarita recipe calls for silver tequila, triple sec, a sugary component, and salt for the rim. Our Mezcal Margarita recipe follows the same principle but is a smoky version of the popular summer cocktail.
Quick Facts Mezcal Margarita Cocktail
- Method: shaken
- Flavor profile: smoky and sour
- How to serve it: over ice
- Best glassware: old fashioned glass
- Alcohol content: ~ 20%, 24 grams of alcohol per serving
So, let's make a drink that every true Margarita lover should have tried at least once. -Also, the Mezcal fanbase has only been growing in recent years. So, find out what the fuss is all about:
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail Shaker
- 1 Jigger
- 1 Hawthorne Strainer
- 1 Citrus Juicer
- 1 Margarita Glass
Ingredients
- 2 oz Mezcal
- 1 oz Fresh lime juice
- 0.5 oz Triple sec
- 0.5 oz Agave syrup
- 0.25 cup Fleur de sel
Instructions
- Use a lime wedge to moisten the rim of a glass.
- Dip the glass rim generously in fleur de sel and set it aside.0.25 cup Fleur de sel
- Add the Mezcal, lime juice, Triple sec, and agave syrup into your cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Then shake well and strain the drink over ice in the prepared glass.2 oz Mezcal, 1 oz Fresh lime juice, 0.5 oz Triple sec, 0.5 oz Agave syrup
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Nutrition
Details About the Ingredients
Most elements remain the same as in a classic Margarita. Basically, you only substitute tequila with your favorite mezcal, and you're good to go:
- Mezcal - The smoky agave spirit is what gives this Margarita riff a beautiful edge. You can find more info and recommendations below.
- Triple Sec - We prefer Cointreau for the triple sec part. But you can also try other quality orange liqueurs like Grand Marnier.
- Syrup - you can either do agave syrup, one part agave and one part simple syrup, or simple syrup only. We like to go 100% agave here as it pronounces the difference in taste to the classic even further - in a good way.
- Fresh lime juice - if you have mixed some of our cocktail recipes before, you might already know our Credo: only freshly squeezed lime juice will get you a great drink!
- Quality salt for the rim - fleur de sel is our favorite here. The flaky salt rounds the cocktail up beautifully.
Which Mezcal for a Mezcal Margarita?
As for a Mezcal Old Fashioned, the most common choice for a Mezcal Margarita is a Joven style Mezcal. Since the other ingredients in the cocktail will counterbalance the flavors and smokiness to an extent, you can be brave and go for something bolder.
The smokiness level of a Mezcal depends on the individual product. No official scale indicates the degree of smoke, so finding that out is down to trial and error - or you rely on our recommendations:
Ilegal Mezcal Joven
Style: Joven
Origin: Oaxaca
Level of smokiness: low
ABV: 40%
Taste: Eucalyptus, apple, citrus, red chiltepe
This one is a good choice for everyone new to mezcal. Illegal Joven is not overly smoky and comes at a reasonable price.
Montelobos Espadin
Style: Joven
Origin: Oaxaca
Level of smokiness: high
ABV: 43%
Taste: green maguey, nuts, herbal, smoke
Montelobos is a brilliant choice if you want to experience true mezcal vibes. It's definitely a smoky spirit. Too smoky for me to have it neat, but perfect in a Margarita.
Mestizo Mezcal Añejo
Style: Anejo, aged 16 months
Origin: Oaxaca
Level of smokiness: medium
ABV: 40%
Taste: oak, caramel, molasses, spice
Some might argue that an Añejo is wasted in a cocktail. Nevertheless, it will enhance your drink. So if you want something special and can afford it, Mestizo is a Mezcal you should consider for your next Margarita.
Mezcal is an agave spirit like tequila, but less restricted and with smoky flavors. Technically, tequila is a subtype of mezcal. Still, you will never get a Tequila when ordering a Mezcal. Sounds interesting? Read more here.
Tips for Making a Mezcal Margarita
To make this Mexican cocktail, you need a cocktail shaker, a Hawthorne strainer, and a saucer for the salt.
Put some fleur de sel on the saucer, then use a lime wedge to moisten the rim of a glass, dip it into the salt, and set it aside while making the drink.
Once you have added all other ingredients to your cocktail shaker, shake well for about 8 to 10 seconds. Use plenty of ice cubes here to ensure the Mezcal Margarita is ice cold when you pour it.
Fill your glass with quality ice cubes (large, clear chunks of ice are best). Then strain your drink into it and serve it with a biodegradable straw - for everyone who does not enjoy the salt on the rim.
Variations
Our Margarita Mezcal recipe is single-spirit-based. A split-base of tequila and mezcal (1:1) is a good option if you prefer to start your mezcal experience more cautiously. -Or if you mispicked and got something too smoky for your liking. - Generally, we only advise that for mezcal with medium or strongly smoky flavors.
You can also create a cocktail that beautifully combines smoky flavors with some extra spice by adding a bit of chili. Chop up jalapeños and chuck a few wheels to your drink. For the extra punch, go with a habanero. - But don't overdo it.
Related Recipes
If you can't get enough of mezcal, try some more of our favorite Mezcal Cocktails, like: