Oaxaca Old Fashioned Recipe

Chill and optionally rinse

Place an old fashioned glass in the freezer for a few minutes to chill, or fill with ice water while you prepare the drink. If using a mezcal rinse for extra smokiness, pour 0.25 oz smoky mezcal into the chilled glass, swirl to coat the interior, then discard the excess.

Combine spirits and modifiers

In a mixing glass add 1.5 oz Patrón Añejo tequila, 0.5 oz Ilegal Reposado mezcal, 0.25 oz agave syrup, and 3 dashes of 53 Mole bitters.

Add ice and stir

Fill the mixing glass with large ice (or several cubes) and stir gently for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 full revolutions) until the mixture is well chilled and slightly diluted.

Discard the ice or water from the chilled old fashioned glass if you used that method. Add one large clear ice cube to the glass.

Strain the stirred cocktail into the prepared glass over the large ice cube using a julep or Hawthorne strainer.

Express and garnish

Hold the orange peel over the drink, skin side down, and give it a firm squeeze to express the oils across the surface; rub the peel on the rim and drop it into the glass. If desired, briefly flame the expressed orange oil over the cocktail (carefully) for a light caramelized aroma.

Serve immediately and advise your guest to sip slowly to appreciate the interplay of aged tequila, smoky mezcal, agave sweetness, and the chocolate-spice notes from the mole bitters.