1910 Cocktail
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 28.1% ABV ∙
The 1910 is a stirred, spirit-forward drink of mezcal and Cognac with maraschino liqueur and Punt e Mes, finished with Creole-style bitters. Smoky mezcal and grape-toned brandy lead into bittersweet Punt e Mes and a cherry-pit whisper of maraschino, drying out on a bittered, orange-oiled finish — a slow, reflective after-dinner sip.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Mezcal 25 mlCognac 25 mlMaraschino liqueur 15 mlPunt e Mes 30 mlCreole-style bitters 2 dashes
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Stir over large-format ice for about 30 seconds to reach proper dilution without over-diluting the smoky mezcal note.
- Measure the mezcal carefully — too heavy a pour lets the smoke overwhelm the rest of the drink.
- Chill the coupe glass in the freezer for at least 15 minutes beforehand so the stirred drink doesn't warm quickly in the shallow glass.
- Express the orange twist's oils directly over the surface of the drink before dropping it in, releasing citrus aromatics that lift the bittersweet Punt e Mes base.
History
The 1910 was created by bartender Ezra Star at the bar Drink in Boston. It was named for the year the Mexican Revolution began and conceived as a companion to the bar's own 1919 cocktail, a rum-based Manhattan variation named for the year of the Boston Molasses Flood. Sources differ on the exact year of creation, with some dating it to 2011 and others to 2014. The drink also evolved in its early years: it was first mixed as a tequila-and-mezcal riff on the Manhattan before Star settled on a split of mezcal and Cognac as its base.
FAQ
What is in a 1910 Cocktail?
Mezcal and Cognac form the spirit base, joined by maraschino liqueur, Punt e Mes, and a couple of dashes of Creole-style bitters, all stirred and strained up. It is finished with an expressed orange twist rather than any citrus juice, which is why the drink stays clear rather than cloudy.
Is a 1910 Cocktail shaken or stirred?
Stirred. There is no juice or citrus to aerate, so stirring chills and dilutes the spirits and Punt e Mes without clouding the drink, keeping it clear in the glass.
What does a 1910 Cocktail taste like?
It leans bittersweet and smoky rather than sour or fruity, with mezcal's smoke and Cognac's grape warmth up front, Punt e Mes adding a bitter, slightly herbal weight, and maraschino giving a faint cherry-pit sweetness before the finish dries out. At roughly 28% ABV it drinks strong and slow, closer to a Manhattan-style sipper than a citrus-forward cocktail.
Can I substitute the mezcal with a different smoky spirit?
A smoky single malt Scotch can stand in, though it changes the character from agave-forward to peat-forward. Mezcal is chosen here for its vegetal smoke against the Punt e Mes, so any substitute should still bring some smoke rather than a clean, neutral spirit.
