Mezcal: The Cocktail Miracle

The modern passion for cocktails and spirits has thrown wide the door to innovation.

Gin has been welcomed with open arms. Rye has seen a resurgence that would make the colonists proud. And mezcal, well, mezcal is perhaps the most eccentric and fiercely beloved of the new wave of spirits available. Once considered a rough, common beverage, this gracefully smoky agave distillation not only plays well with other spirits, but reinvents classic cocktails adding a new layer of “say what?” to their profile.

One of the newer mezcals on the market, Kimo Sabe, has embraced the heritage of mezcal’s past, while preserving its present and future by supporting growers and implementing sustainable practices. Most importantly, though, it’s the flavor of the mezcal that matters — and determines its flexibility in cocktails.

Kimo Sabe brand ambassador and mixologist, as well as Chilled 100 member, Jeremy LeBlanc sees mezcal as something of a chameleon as one can see from his broad use in cocktails. Whether creating a smokier version of a margarita, kicking up a Bloody Maria, or stepping into tequila’s shoes in a Oaxacan Old Fashioned, mezcal can make a familiar drink new in a quick shake or stir.

Below are LeBlanc’s custom Kimo Sabe cocktails, each of which showcases the brand’s distinctive flavor profile.

Kimo Sabe Skinny Margarita

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Kimo Sabe Reposado Mezcal
• 3/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• 3/4 oz. Fresh Lemon
• 1/2 oz. Agave Nectar
• Pinch of Tajin, and More for Rim

Preparation: In a shaker, add ice, pinch of Tajin, lime juice, agave and KS Reposado Mezcal. Shake vigorously. Strain in a rimed Tajin tumbler glass on the rocks.

For a Spicy Kimo Margarita muddle in 2-3 slices of serrano chili.

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Kimo Sabe Mule

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Kimo Sabe Joven Mezcal
• Mint Leaves, to Taste
• Lime Cubes, to Taste
• A Few Dashes Angostura Bitters
• Ginger Beer, to Top

Preparation: Add mint, lime cubes, and bitters to a shaker and muddle. Add ice and KS Joven Mezcal and shake vigorously. Pour into a copper cup and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime and a sprig of mint.

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Derby Down – Kimo Sabe Basil Julep

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Kimo Sabe Mezcal
• 1/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• 3-4 Basil Leaves
• 1/4 to 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
• Cranberry Juice, to Top

Preparation: Add basil leaves, simple syrup and lime juice to a shaker and gently muddle. Add your KS Mezcal, cranberry juice and ice and shake. Dump into a rocks glass and garnish with a basil leaf.

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Smokin’ Pina

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Kimo Sabe Joven Mezcal
• 3 sprigs of Mint
• 1 oz. Pineapple Juice
• Pinch of Tajin
• Top with Sprite (or Any Sort of Lemon/Lime Spritzer)

Preparation: Add pineapple, mint, KS Joven Mezcal and Tajin to a shaker and lightly muddle. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with sprite. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

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The Sandia

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 oz. Kimo Sabe Joven Mezcal
• 4-5 Muddled Watermelon Cubes
• 2 Leaves Basil
• 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
• 1/2 oz. Lime Juice

Preparation: Add KS joven, watermelon cubes, basil, simple syrup and lime juice to a shaker and muddle gently. Strain and pour over ice. Garnish with a basil leaf or watermelon cubes.

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Oaxacan Old Fashion KS Style

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Kimo Sabe Reposado
• 1 tsp. Agave Nectar
• 1- 2 Dashes Mole Bitters
• Wide Swath of Orange Zest, for Garnish

Preparation: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir to chill, then strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. Twist orange peel over drink and use as garnish (for extra flavor and excitement, flame the peel by spraying the orange oil through the flame of a lit match and on top of the drink).

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Summer Solstice

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 oz Kimo Sabe Reposado
• 1/2 oz. Solerno Orange Liqueur
• 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
• 2 Slices Muddled Jalapeño
• 1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• Drizzle of Hibiscus Syrup *(Recipe Below)
• Blood Orange Wheel, for Garnish

Preparation: Add KS Reposado, orange liqueur, simple syrup, fresh lime juice and jalapeno and gently muddle in a shaker. Strain and pour over ice in a tumbler. Drizzle hibiscus syrup and garnish with a blood orange wheel.

*KS Hibiscus Syrup

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup Water
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• 1″ Section Fresh Ginger, Crushed
• 2 Whole Star Anise
• Peel from 1 Lemon (Removed in Strips Using a Sharp Peeler or Paring Knife)
• Pinch of Salt

Preparation: Combine all ingredients on high heat in a large saucepan set over high heat. Bring to a boil, and then simmer, for about 8-10 minute. Remove from heat and cover and let steep for 5-7 minutes. Fine strain into a bowl. Let drain completely and discard remaining ingredients. Pour the syrup into a covered mason jar and let cool for 10 minute. After use, refrigerate for up to 6 months.

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Kimo Kup

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Kimo Sabe Joven
• 4 Slices of Cucumber
• Pinch of Salt and Pepper
• 3/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
• 3/4 Simple Syrup
• Sliced Cucumber, for Garnish

Preparation: Muddle cucumber, salt, pepper, lime juice and simple syrup in a shaker. Add your Kimo Sabe Joven Mezcal and shake vigorously. Double strain into an ice-filled Collins glass lined with three long slices of cucumber. Garnish with a salt and pepper cucumber wheel.

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Oaxacan Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Kimo Sabe Reposado
• 1 tsp. Agave Nectar
• 1 to 2 dashes Mole Bitters
• Wide Swath of Orange Zest, for Garnish

Preparation: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir to chill, then strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. Twist orange peel over drink and use as garnish (for extra flavor and excitement, flame the peel by spraying the orange oil through the flame of a lit match and on top of the drink).

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Bloody Mary

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Kimo Sabe Joven Mezcal
• 1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• 4 oz. Homemade Bloody Mary Mix*
• Celery, for Garnish
• Cooked Shrimp, for Garnish
• Olive, for Garnish

Preparation: Add Kimo Sabe Joven Mezcal, lime juice and homemade bloody mix and serve on the rocks in a pint glass with a salt and pepper rim. Garnish with celery, shrimp and olive.

*Jeremy LeBlanc’s Bloody Mary Mix

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 3 Tomatoes, (for Stewed Tomatoes)
• 1 cup Water
• 1 Coarsely Chopped Flat-Leaf Parsley Sprig
• 1 spoonful Horseradish
• 2 pinches Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper
• 2 dashes of Tabasco (or Your Favorite Hot Sauce)
• 2 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 1/2 oz. Pepperoncini Juice
• 1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

Directions: To make stewed tomatoes: Peel the tomatoes by soaking them in boiling water for one minute. Gently pull away the skin. Place tomatoes in a large pot and add the 1 cup water. Cover and boil gently for 15 minutes, until tomatoes are tender. When done, combine all ingredients and use a hand blender or slow blend on a blender until desired consistency.