Mezcal Mashup

TECHNIQUE

Jan 24

Dallas bartenders are reaching for agave sprits with big botanicals.

Only once in a blue moon does a mashup really work, bringing two equally strong entities together to form a harmonious union.

After a swift gain in popularity beyond Mexican borders over the past couple of decades, mezcal has solidified its position as one of the most popular spirits on back bars around the world. And naturally, with heightened awareness comes opportunity for experimentation and abstraction. Mezcal gin starts as any other mezcal would. The agave plant is broken down, roasted, and distilled, with the sole focus of maintaining the flavor of the agave plant while highlighting the smoky char from the pit-fire-roast. After the initial distillation, the smoky-sweet sip takes a turn into the world of botany. The smoked agave base is infused with herbs, flora, and spices to develop an aromatic, hybrid spirit true to its namesake: mezcal and gin.

The process was inspired by pechuga, which infuses an agave-based spirit with chicken before the second distillation for added savoriness and body. Producers of agave gin ditch the protein and keep their infusions juniper-forward, while staying true to Mexican flavor profiles thanks to indigenous botanicals. Mezcal MG, produced in Durango, leans on hibiscus, ancho chile, lemongrass, and avocado leaf to flavor their spirit, while Mezcal Macurichos’ Gin Abrojo, made in Oaxaca, uses hoja santa, cilantro, and corn. In all its variations, mezcal gin tells a story of Mexican terroir, maintaining the structure of the agave and authentic methods of production while spotlighting more specific locales and producers’ perspectives.

Revival: Mezcal Gin, Irish Whiskey, Espresso, Agave, and Lemon Bitters

For Bar Manager Heather Poile of Lounge Here in the Old East Dallas neighborhood, agave spirits were always a priority. She says, “I wanted the bar program to reflect the nuance of Texan identity, which, because of our close proximity to Mexico, has a heightened awareness of agave culture.”

She had always been interested in mezcal gin, but after her first sip of Mezcal MG, Poile became determined to add the beautiful spirit to the Lounge Here menu. “This one shines really bright,” she says. “Citrusy and floral.”

So when developing an espresso martini that played on the classic espresso and candied citrus pairing, Mezcal MG was a natural fit. She combined the espresso with a split base of mezcal gin and Irish whiskey, fortified with lemon bitters and agave syrup (full recipe here). “I wanted it to be balanced, interesting, and a little weird.”

Over in Uptown at Mexican-inspired speakeasy La Viuda Negra, a love of traditional botanical spirits led Bartender Hugo Osorio to reach for mezcal gin. The agave-centric bar forced Osorio to think creatively when it came to recreating gin-based classic cocktails, but mezcal gin made for an easy substitution.

“When I first started serving it to guests, it was an opportunity to educate them on agave and show that there are more opportunities for the spirit,” says Osorio.

His Algo Leve cocktail shakes up the spirit with green apple, kiwi, and mint for a seasonal sip that is equally approachable to gin die-hards and mezcal fanatics alike. “The way I see it, this cocktail is more of a gin gimlet—a little refreshing and fruit-forward but not sweet.” Whether through martini or margarita, the new-age distillate offers playful versatility while continuing to shine light on the traditions of agave distillation, and Dallas-Fort Worth is drinking it up.