Devil Smoked Margarita

Name: Devil Smoked Margarita
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: Mezcal — 45 ml (1 1/2 oz); Lime juice (freshly squeezed) — 30 ml (1 oz); Sugar syrup (2:1) — 15 ml (1/2 oz); Red wine — 15 ml (1/2 oz)

Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 15.2% ABV ∙

The Devil Smoked Margarita is a mezcal riff on the Margarita, shaken with fresh lime and sugar syrup, finished with a float of red wine, and served up.

Ingredients

Servings

Garnish

Lime wedge

Instructions for 1 serving

Pre-chill a glass
Shake the first 3 ingredients with ice: Mezcal 45 mlLime juice 30 mlSugar syrup 15 ml
Fine strain into the chilled glass
Carefully float Red wine 15 ml
Garnish with a lime wedge

Tips

Shake the mezcal, lime and syrup hard with ice for 12–15 seconds; a short shake leaves the drink harsh and hot.
Squeeze the lime just before shaking; bottled juice has lost its aroma and dulls the smoke of the mezcal.

History

The Devil Smoked Margarita is a mezcal version of the Devil's Margarita, a shaken mix of blanco tequila, lime and sugar syrup with a float of red wine. Mezcal gives it a smoky edge. It takes its sweetness from syrup rather than orange liqueur, so strictly it is a cousin of the Margarita rather than a true one.

The Margarita's own origin is one of the most contested in cocktail history: rival claimants date its invention between 1936 and 1948, and most historians trace it to the older Daisy family of cocktails.

FAQ

What is a Devil's Margarita?

A close cousin of the Margarita: blanco tequila shaken with lime and sugar syrup in place of orange liqueur. A float of red wine on top adds color and a dry, fruity note. This version uses mezcal instead of tequila, so it tastes smoky as well.

How do you make a Devil's Margarita?

This smoked version swaps the Devil's Margarita's blanco tequila for mezcal. Shake 45 ml mezcal, 30 ml fresh lime juice and 15 ml sugar syrup with ice, and fine-strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Carefully float 15 ml red wine on top and add a lime wedge; the wine goes in last so it sits as a separate layer.

How do you make a smoked margarita?

Here the smoke comes from the base spirit: mezcal, made from agave roasted in earthen pits, is shaken with fresh lime juice and sugar syrup, so no smoking gun is needed.

Is a Devil's Margarita shaken or stirred?

Shaken, hard, for 12 to 15 seconds; a short shake leaves it harsh and hot. Only the mezcal, lime and syrup go in the shaker, and the red wine is floated on afterward.

What glass is a Devil Smoked Margarita served in?

A cocktail glass, served up, with a lime wedge for garnish.