8 Mezcal Cocktails and Perfect Bottle Pairings

Mezcal is an amazing spirit, where you get the bright agave that you’ll find in a tequila, but also a subtle smoky and earthy delivery that’s incredible for mixed drinks and cocktails.

And like any cocktail, finding the right bottle can feel overwhelming, with the thousands of selections out there, which is why we put together this guide on the top mezcal cocktails and bottles that pair exceptionally well.

Let's jump in!

Why Mezcal is a Cocktail Lover's Dream

Mezcal's complex flavor profile, marked by its signature smokiness and rich earthiness, which makes it an exquisite base for cocktails. It pairs well with a variety of ingredients, creating drinks that are both sophisticated and approachable.

For those eager to experiment, mezcal cocktails offer creative possibilities and a chance to experience the spirit's depth in new ways.

8 Mezcal Cocktail Recipes to Elevate Your Mixology Game

1. Fizzy Rosemary Mezcal

Earthy rosemary and bright citrus make this a beautifully balanced, frothy delight!

Ingredients

• 40 fresh rosemary leaves
• Pinch of salt
• 1 large egg white
• 2 oz mezcal
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice
• 0.5 oz agave nectar
• Soda water
• Rosemary sprig for garnish

Recipe

Combine about 40 rosemary leaves and a pinch of salt in a shaker. Add a large egg white, lemon zest, mezcal, lemon juice, and agave nectar. Shake until emulsified, add ice, then shake again. Strain into chilled glasses, top with soda water, and garnish with rosemary.

Recommended Bottle: Del Maguey Mezcal Vida de Muertos

Del Maguey Vida de Muertos is crafted in Oaxaca, where the agave is roasted underground and then naturally fermented. From there, it’s double-distilled in small copper stills for that classic production process. What makes this mezcal pick truly unique is the double distillation that creates an amazingly smooth finish.

Why It’s Great for This Cocktail

This mezcal is amazing for a Fizzy Rosemary because it features notes of roasted tropical fruit and a creamy texture. When paired with the lemon and pine, it contrasts beautifully. Ultimately, it creates a wonderful balance for this tequila cocktail.

Purchase Del Maguey Mezcal Vida de Muertos

2. Mezcal Paloma

The mezcal paloma is a smoky take on the classic paloma.

Ingredients

• 2 oz mezcal
• 2 oz fresh grapefruit juice
• 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
• 0.5 oz agave nectar
• Pinch of salt
• Soda water
• Lime slice for garnish

Recipe

Shake mezcal, grapefruit, agave nectar, lime, and a pinch of salt. Strain into an ice-filled glass, top with soda, and garnish with a slice of lime.

Recommended Bottle: Montelobos Mezcal Artesanal Ensamble Joven

The Ensamble Joven is a mezcal made from a blend of multiple varieties. What makes this bottle great for a Paloma is that the complex smokiness holds the citrus notes for a complex sip that’s also enjoyable.

Why It’s Great for This Cocktail

This mezcal is great for a paloma because of the hints of pepper and nutmeg, which perfectly complement the bitter grapefruit juice. The citrus notes are then grounded with earthy tones on the palate and finish.

Purchase Montelobos Mezcal Artesanal Ensamble Joven

3. Mexican Firing Squad

Sweet, tart, and deeply complex. This vibrant red cocktail is an absolute showstopper!

Ingredients

• 2 oz mezcal
• 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
• 0.75 oz grenadine
• 5 dashes Angostura bitters
• Lime slice for garnish

Recipe

Shake mezcal, lime juice, and grenadine. Strain into a glass with ice, garnish with Angostura bitters and a slice of lime.

Recommended Bottle: Erstwhile Five-Spice Duck Pechuga 2023 Limited Edition

This amazing mezcal is made in small batches from a blend of five spices, with a unique take by using whole ducks that are suspended from the marinade in the stills. This centuries-old technique creates an incredible depth that other mezcals cannot match. It's unique for the asian and Mexican combination.

Why It’s Great for This Cocktail

This unique mezcal is amazing for a Mexican Firing Squad cocktail because of the savory and umami-rich notes that are full through the nose, palate, and finish. They pair perfectly with the warming baking spices and the sweetness of the grenadine. The results are a layered and dynamic cocktail.

Purchase Erstwhile Five-Spice Duck Pechuga 2023 Limited Edition

4. Mezcal Sunrise

The Mezcal Sunrise is an amazing cocktail if you’re looking for a smoky take on that classic beach cocktail.

Ingredients

• 2 oz mezcal
• 3 oz fresh orange juice
• 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
• 0.5 oz agave nectar
• 0.5 oz grenadine
• Lime wheel for garnish

Recipe

Shake mezcal, orange juice, lime juice, and agave. Strain into a glass with ice, pour grenadine over a spoon to form a layer, and garnish with lime. Stir before enjoying.

Recommended Bottle: Tres Papalote Mezcal Artesanal Joven

Tres Papalote is a small-batch mezcal that’s made exclusively from the rare Cupreata agave. The production is entirely artisanal, and the result is a spirit with depth, character, and an affordable price.

Why It’s Great for This Cocktail

On the nose, you’ll experience wild herbs and tropical fruit, with smoky flavors on the palate that perfectly complement the orange and lime juice. The mezcal backbone provides earthy flavors that fully support each sip.

Purchase Tres Papalote Mezcal Artesanal Joven

5. Hibiscus-Cilantro Spiked Tea

Hibiscus-Cilantro Spiked Tea is great if you’re looking for a floral-based cocktail, and you enjoy a nice tea.

Ingredients

• 2 oz mezcal
• 3 oz brewed hibiscus tea (cooled)
• 0.5 oz cilantro syrup
• 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Cilantro sprig for garnish

Recipe

Prepare hibiscus tea and cilantro syrup separately. Muddle cilantro leaves, add mezcal, lime juice, tea, and syrup. Stir, pour into glasses with ice, and garnish with cilantro.

Recommended Bottle: Tres Papalote Mezcal Wild Cupreata

Tres Papalote Wild Cupreata utilizes agave grown exclusively in Guerrero's high altitudes. From there, the bottle is made from the traditional mezcal process, by slowly roasting the piñas in natural wooden vats. This straight process provides a strong agave flavor that’s smoky and earthy, more so than others.

Why It’s Great for This Cocktail

Tres Papalote Mezcal Wild Cupreata is a perfect fit for this tea cocktail because it provides a bright nose and palate, which naturally builds on the cilantro. The floral undertones also blend perfectly with the hibiscus tea.

Purchase Tres Papalote Mezcal Wild Cupreata

6. Tropical Mezcal Tonic

If you’re looking for something tropical, this is your go-to mezcal cocktail.

Ingredients

• 2 oz mezcal
• 2 oz pineapple juice
• 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
• Seltzer water
• Sugar for rimming
• Lime wedge for garnish

Recipe

Combine juice, mezcal, and lime juice. Chill, rim glasses with sugar, fill with ice, pour cocktail, top with seltzer, and garnish with a lime wedge.

Recommended Bottle: Bozal Cuishe Mezcal

Bozal Cuishe is both an amazing bottle for cocktails, but also great for sipping! The creation process begins by foraging amazing agave, aging properly, and using a classic copper pot distillation process. The fun ceramic bottle will make it stand out amongst your other selections, too.

Why It’s Great for This Cocktail

The earthly and dry palate provides a great backbone for the immense sweetness that the Topical Mezcal Tonic binds with. You’ll end up with a refreshing cocktail that’s sweet and has enough bitter backbone for an enjoyable sip.

Purchase Bozal Cuishe Mezcal

7. Mezcal Sour

If you love a whiskey sour and also love mezcal, this is a fun take that provides a smoky kick and finish.

Ingredients

• 2 oz mezcal
• 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
• 0.5 oz amaro
• 0.5 oz agave nectar
• 1 egg white
• Angostura bitters
• Lime twist for garnish

Recipe

Shake lime juice, mezcal, amaro, agave nectar, and egg white. Strain into a coupe glass, add bitters and a lime twist.

Recommended Bottle: Vamonos Riendo Mezcal

We highly recommend using Vamonos Riendo Mezcal for this cocktail, because it’s a vibrant sip with amazing smoky qualities, because it's made from a blend of eight-year-old Espadín and fourteen-year-old wild Tobalá agaves. The spirit is triple-distilled, which is rare for mezcal, and offers a smooth finish.

Why It’s Great for This Cocktail

Because it features tasting notes of bright citrus and sweet melon, it mixes perfectly with the amaro and lime. The triple-distilled dedication makes the foamy top nice and silky.

Purchase Vamonos Riendo Mezcal

8. Smoky Oaxacan Basil

A savory, herbaceous masterpiece. Salt, lime, basil, and smoke, what's not to love?

Ingredients

• 4 fresh basil leaves
• 2 oz mezcal
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 0.5 oz agave nectar
• Salt for rimming

Recipe

Muddle basil leaves and lime, shake with mezcal, lime juice, and agave. Salt the glass rim, add ice, and pour the cocktail.

Recommended Bottle: Casamigos Mezcal Joven

Casamigos Mezcal Joven is a choice that makes a great Smoky Oaxacan cocktail, but is also a bottle that can be a staple for your home bar. During the creation process, the piñas are split and roasted in traditional earthen pits lined with volcanic rock, like other traditional mezcals. From there, it goes through an extended fermentation process and is then double-distilled.

Why It’s Great for This Cocktail

Its tasting notes of smoke and black pepper add depth to the savory flavors that the basil presents. This ultimately allows the fresh flavors of this cocktail to show.

Purchase Casamigos Mezcal Joven

How to Find The Best Tequila For Your Home Bar

Finding the right tequila that perfectly matches your palate is supposed to be a fun experience, which can be a whole lot better when experts curate these bottles for you. That’s where Taster’s Club comes in with our Tequila of the Month Club from Taster's Club.

Get Expert Picks and Amazing Value

Our tequila subscription provides members the opportunity to discover expertly curated bottle selections every single month. Recipients receive an incredible variety of tequilas, from smooth and elegant blancos to complex, aged añejos and reposados, with some mezcal selections mixed in throughout the year.

Along with our Digital 101, which includes tasting notes, cocktail ideas, and other insights into your new bottle, for full enjoyment.

Commonly Asked Questions

What mixers are best for mezcal?

While mezcal works with a wide range of different mixers, some of the best ones are the ones that play off the smoky and agave notes that mezcal is famous for. Some classics include lime, grapefruit, and pineapple juice; they work wonders.

If you like something with a little more kick, ginger beer and agave nectar are also incredible for balancing out the smoky notes. Plus, any of these mixers would work great for your tequila cocktails at home.

What mezcal is great for cocktails but also great for sipping?

When choosing a mezcal that’s also elevated enough to sip with your distinguished guests, you’ll want a higher-end choice, such as Clase Azul Mezcal Durango, which not only looks spectacular but tastes incredible because of its depth.

Another excellent choice that will completely elevate your cocktails but also provide an amazing sipping experience is Código 1530 Ancestral Mezcal. It’s produced in small batches to showcase different terroirs. So, any tequila enthusiasts would love this pick.

What’s the difference you experience by using mezcal vs. tequila in cocktails?

While both are similar, you’ll notice that a tequila, especially a blanco, offers a much brighter and crisper profile, comparatively.Whereas a mezcal provides a savory and smoky nose and palate that’s completely unique to mezcal. If you enjoy your cocktails with more layers, then a mezcal is a great way to spice things up.

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