El Toro de Toronja - Mezcal Cocktail Recipe

Hi all!  Denni here!  When I am not flexing my biceps at the warehouse (I run the shipping for Bitters and Bottles), I like to flex my creative muscles behind the bar.

I usually start thinking about the night's drink just as I'm packing my lunch in the morning.  What leftovers are in the fridge, and what do I have on hand that can be incorporated into this evening's cocktail?

This morning I noticed a few grapefruits on the counter, so I thought I'd build my flavors from there.  Hmmm, I was thinking greyhound or Paloma, but I want to put my own spin on it.  

Recently I picked up a bottle of the new Ancho Reyes Verde and I have been eager to go wild with it. Now my gears are turning, how should I round out the citrus and the vegetal Ancho?  Almost a rhetorical question for me, since I love all Agave: Mezcal it is.  Flash forward 12 hours, let's get tinkering!

After tasting/mixing a few small samples the cocktail emerges:

+ 2 oz mezcal (I love Del Amigo for its flavor and affordability) 
+ 1 oz Ancho Reyes Verde
+ 1 oz Grapefruit Juice
+ ½ oz lime juice
+ Agave to taste
+ Amargo bitters

After using just the grapefruit I decided to add lime juice because I feel like the Mezcal really pops with just a touch of that lime citrus – fresh is great but we keep a bottle of Nellie and Joe’s in the fridge for all sorts of uses both culinary and cocktail.  

The lime brightened the mix but also added a bit too much sour, so a dollop of agave syrup (also a bar/culinary staple) smoothed it right out.  I added a dash of the amargo bitters because the herbal and floral notes really complement the Ancho Verde.  Not required, but a fun add if you have it.

Now for a name of this creation – with the Mexican theme in mind and a personal fondness for alliterative names the El Toro de Toronja (The Grapefruit Bull) is created. 

So check your fridge and get mixing!  Who knows what you might come up with?  Happy Mixing!

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Denni Harp runs the shipping, logistics, and online support for Bitters + Bottles, and keeps us all in high spirits with her scrappy cocktail creations.