Recipe by Soumini Agate
Inspired by The Oaxaca Old Fashioned created in 2007 by New York bartender Phil Ward, the original cocktail was a take on a classic Old Fashioned and made the use of a blend of Reposado Tequila and Mezcal.
While Reposado Tequila is aged in barrels to get slight toasty notes and a nutty flavour, mezcal imparts a smoky taste to the drink that it derives from the roasting process of the piñas during production. Our cocktail however stays a bit true to the traditional recipe and blends bourbon and mezcal for a lovely, smoky result.
Start by using a good quality Mezcal. I really like using the Del Maguey Vida Mezcal as it has some lovely citrus notes in addition to the smokiness. While you can use practically any whisky for this cocktail, i've noticed that Bourbon really balances the drink out and provides it with a subtle sweetness since it's primarily made with corn. Bourbon is also aged in charred oak barrels which imparts a bit of nuttiness and some vanilla flavours which balance out the intense smokiness of the mezcal.
For sweetness we add orgeat syrup instead of the simple syrup that is traditionally added. Orgeat is made with almonds, sugar, a bit of rose water and orange blossom water and is very popular in Tiki drinks. The reason it works here is because it complements the nuttiness that you get from the Bourbon and the rose water and orange blossom water in the syrup adds more flavour to the drink. However, if you do have any nut allergies it would be best to use simple syrup.
Finally we finish this cocktail with some chocolate bitters. You could use The Aztec Chocolate Bitters or just any chocolate bitters that you can find. The Aztec Chocolate Bitters contain the perfect blend of sweet cocoa enhanced with a hint of spice that complements tequila based cocktails.
Ingredients
1 oz mezcal
1 oz bourbon or any whisky of choice
1/4 oz (0.25 oz) orgeat syrup
3 dashes aztec chocolate bitters
Garnish of orange peel (optional)
Ice
Steps
In a mixing glass add the orgeat syrup and the bitters. Fill it up with ice.
Pour 1 oz of mezcal and 1 oz of bourbon into it.
Stir well till well chilled.
Strain into a glass with a big ice cube or on the rocks.
Squeeze the orange peel over the glass to release the oils. Twist over the glass and place it into the drink.
Your drink is ready to be enjoyed.
Tips & Tricks
Always try to serve any variation of an old fashioned in a rocks or whisky glass on a big ice cube. If you don't have it you can certainly use regular ice cubes (it just melts faster and can dilute your drink).
Feel free to make this drink with other styles of whisky like Irish Whisky, Canadian Whisky or Blended Scotch. In Wisconson, USA they use brandy instead of Whisky (and sometimes even call it brandy old fashioned). However, try not using a rye whisky for this cocktail since rye imparts some spicy and/or smoky flavours and can make the cocktail too intense.
In case of allergies definitely swap out the orgeat with simple syrup.
You can garnish with cherry instead of orange.
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