Oaxacan Old Fashioned Recipe

Chill glass

Place an old-fashioned glass in the freezer for 5 minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to chill and slightly dilute the glass before serving.

Combine spirits and sweetener

In a mixing glass add 1.5 oz Teremana Reposado, 0.5 oz Mal Bien Espadin mezcal, and 0.25 oz agave syrup.

Add bitters

Add 3 dashes of Angostura bitters and 1 dash of orange bitters to the mixing glass with the spirits and agave.

Add ice and stir

Fill the mixing glass with plenty of large ice cubes. Stir gently but thoroughly for 20–30 seconds (about 15–20 rotations) until the mixture is well chilled and slightly diluted — the sides of the glass should frost.

Prepare serving glass

Discard ice water from the chilled old-fashioned glass and place a single large ice cube or ice ball into it.

Strain

Strain the stirred cocktail into the prepared old-fashioned glass over the large ice cube using a Hawthorne or julep strainer to keep small shards out of the glass.

Express orange oils

Take the orange peel and hold it over the glass, skin side down. Give it a firm squeeze or a quick twist to express the oils over the surface of the cocktail, then run the peel around the rim and drop it into the drink as a garnish.

Optional smoke finish

If using smoked rosemary: briefly light the tip of a rosemary sprig until it smolders, then place it above the glass and cover with an overturned mixing glass or cloche to trap smoke for 10–15 seconds. Remove cover and set the smoldering sprig into the drink or rest it on the rim. If using a handheld smoker, fill the cloche and smoke the glass for 10–15 seconds, then remove and serve.

Optional flamed peel

For added aromatic flair, hold a flamed orange twist (briefly ignite a folded twist over a lighter) and quickly pass it over the drink to release a bright citrus aroma. Be careful with flame and alcohol vapors.