The Succulent Blood is a shaken mezcal cocktail made with mezcal, blood orange juice, and exotic spices. The recipe features mezcal, blood orange juice, cinnamon syrup, Velvet Falernum, and fresh lime juice. The outcome is a complex yet balanced drink with a delightful mix of smoky, sweet, and tangy flavors.
The name "Succulent Blood" is a reference to its two main ingredients. Succulent is a reference to mezcal. The smoky Mexican spirit is distilled from agave plants that belong to the plant family of "Succulents". “Blood” is a simple reference to blood orange juice, which is used to balance the mezcal base.
The drink was first mixed as an involuntary twist by Simon Difford when he tried the Sangre Dulce cocktail by Regina Butler but misread the ingredients. Instead of Fernet Vallet, his drink included Velvet Falernum. And because the result wasn't all that bad, the failed attempt got its own name - Succulent Blood.
Quick facts about the Succulent Blood cocktail
- Method: shaken
- Flavor profile: smoky, citrusy, sweet, cloves, cinnamon
- How to serve it: Chilled in a coupe glass, no extra ice. Garnished with blood orange wheel - fresh or dehydrated.
- Glassware: Coupe glass
- Alcohol content: ~ 18.1% ABV, 19.4 grams of alcohol per serving
What You'll Need to make the drink
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Strainer
- Coupe glass
- Jigger or measuring tools
- Ice
- Garnish: Dehydrated blood orange slice
The Ingredients
To craft this smoky mezcal masterpiece, you'll need the following ingredients:
- 2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida: A smoky spirit that forms the cocktail's backbone. For a slightly smokier base, try Montelobos Espadin Joven Mezcal.
- 1 oz Blood orange juice: Provides a sweet and tangy citrus flavor. Make sure to use freshly squeezed juice to get the right amount of tang.
- 0.25 oz Cinnamon syrup: Cinnamon can easily overpower the other ingredients in this drink. If it's too intense for your tastebuds reduce the amount to 1/8 of an ounce. Plus, the best cinnamon syrup to use is your own. Make sure to check out our homemade cinnamon syrup to make it.
- 1/6 oz Velvet Falernum: This sweet syrup features notes of almond, ginger, and cloves. An excellent combination with the sweet and spicy notes from our cinnamon syrup.
- 1/6 oz Fresh lime juice: Not part of the original recipe but an excellent addition as this manages to balance the flavors much better.
Step-by-Step Guide to Make the Succulent Blood Cocktail
- Chill your glass: Put your coupe glass in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before making the cocktail.
- Prepare Your Shaker: Fill your cocktail shaker halfway with ice.
- Add the ingredients: Pour 2 oz of Del Maguey Mezcal Vida into the shaker. Then add 1 oz of blood orange juice, 0.25 oz of cinnamon syrup, 1/6 oz of Velvet Falernum, and finish with 1/6 oz of fresh lime juice.
- Shake It Up: Seal your shaker and shake the cocktail vigorously for about 15 to 20 seconds.
- Strain and Serve: Double-strain the drink into your chilled coupe glass to remove any pulp or ice shards.
- Garnish: Place a dehydrated blood orange slice on the rim or float it on top. If you don't have a dehydrated wheel, you can also opt for a fresh one.
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail Shaker
- 1 Jigger
- 1 Hawthorne Strainer
- 1 Fine-mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 2 oz Mezcal - Del Maguey vida or Montelobos Espadin
- 1 oz Blood orange juice - fresh
- 0.25 oz Homemade cinnamon syrup
- ⅙ oz Velvet Falernum
- ⅙ oz Fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Chill your coupe glass in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before making the cocktail.
- Fill your cocktail shaker halfway with ice and add all ingredients.
- Shake the mixture for 15-20 seconds.
- Double-strain into the chilled coupe glass.
- Garnish with dehydrated blood orange wheel.
More smoky mezcal cocktail recipes
- Another Sunken Boat: A perfect flavor combination of smoke and sweet cherry notes.
- Tommy's Mezcal Margarita: The mezcal version of the famous Margarita twist.
- Loaded Pistol: An excellent sipping cocktail combining mezcal, Strega liqueur, and vermouth.
- M&M: An amazing blend of mezcal and Amaro (Montenegro) that's also a perfect freezer door cocktail.
- Naked & Famous: A delicious cocktail and a perfect blend of smoky, bitter, and herbal flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may use orange juice instead, but there are better alternatives. Try using pink grapefruit juice or clementine juice instead.
Velvet Falernum is a sweet liqueur from the Caribbean, flavored with spices like cloves, ginger, and almond. It's a staple in many tiki cocktails and adds depth to the Succulent Blood.
If you're not a fan of mezcal's smoky flavor, you can substitute it with reposado tequila. However, the smokiness is a signature element of this cocktail and you will lose that component. See a detailed comparison of tequila vs. mezcal here.