Lui Recipe

Prepare brioche infusion

Break the brioche into small pieces and lightly toast in a 180°C oven or in a dry skillet until golden and fragrant (about 6–8 minutes). Let cool. Place toasted brioche in a clean, dry Mason jar or heatproof vessel.

Combine with mezcal and aromatics

Pour 750 ml mezcal over the toasted brioche in the jar. Add the 3 strips of clementine zest and 4 sprigs of thyme. Seal the jar and let macerate at room temperature for 2 hours, gently rotating the jar once at the 1-hour mark to ensure even contact.

Add Sauternes for sweetness lift

After 2 hours, add 60 ml Sauternes to the jar and give it a gentle swirl. Let sit another 30 minutes to allow the wine to integrate with the fat- and sugar-rich brioche.

Set up for re-distillation (small still or rotary evaporator)

Strain the macerate through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a clean flask. If you have a small spirit still or a tabletop pot still/rotovap, transfer the strained liquid into the still. If not using a still, improvise a gentle double-boiler distillation: place the flask in a pot of simmering water and collect low-proof distillate by cooling a receiving vial (work carefully and follow safety guidelines). Add ~200 ml filtered water in the steam/collection trap if recommended by your still to avoid overheating solids.

Distill to concentrate flavor

Run a low-temperature cut to collect the heart fraction only — aim to capture an aromatic spirit around 30–45% ABV (depends on equipment). Collect approximately 400–500 ml of re-distilled spirit; discard heads and tails. The goal is a smooth, brioche-forward, thyme- and clementine-laced mezcal concentrate. Allow the distillate to rest 30 minutes for flavors to settle.

Add bitters

Once rested, add 6 dashes of aromatic bitters to the re-distilled spirit and gently stir to integrate. Taste and adjust—bitters will add structure and complex vegetal notes that complement mezcal.

Balance and sweeten

To make the cocktail base, combine 60 ml of the re-distilled mezcal concentrate with 20 ml simple syrup and 15 ml fresh clementine juice in a mixing glass. Stir with ice until properly chilled and lightly diluted (about 20–30 seconds). Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity if needed.

Prepare glass and carbonation

If using smoked sea salt, rub a cut clementine slice around the glass rim and lightly dip the rim into the smoked salt. Place a large ice cube or 2 into a rocks glass. Add the chilled cocktail mixture over ice.

Carbonate or finish with CO2

For a light effervescence or to present a CO2-finished aroma, decant the prepared cocktail into a soda siphon charged with one CO2 cartridge and gently discharge a quick burst to carbonate lightly (do not over-pressurize). Alternatively, if you want a CO2 mist/aroma, fill a handheld soda siphon with a small amount of the cocktail and spray 1–2 short bursts over the filled glass from 6–8 inches above to deposit a fine aromatic mist.

Garnish and serve

Garnish with the clementine slice and a fresh thyme sprig. Serve immediately so the brioche-warmth, Sauternes sweetness, thyme herbaceousness, and bitters' lift are perceived together with the light CO2 texture.

Notes on portions

The recipe yields approximately 8–10 cocktails (serving size below). Keep any leftover re-distilled mezcal refrigerated in a sealed bottle for up to 2 weeks; flavors will continue to evolve.