El Halcón Recipe

Make vanilla syrup (if not ready)

Combine equal parts sugar and water (e.g., 1/2 cup each) in a small saucepan. Heat gently until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract (or split a vanilla bean and scrape seeds in). Cool. Refrigerate.

Optional cinnamon Campari infusion

If you don't have a cinnamon-forward Campari, lightly infuse Campari or a bitter amaro with a small cinnamon stick for 30–60 minutes, tasting occasionally until a subtle cinnamon note appears. Strain out the stick before using.

Cut the fresh orange in half. In a mixing glass or shaker, place the 0.5 whole orange (half an orange). Add the fig jam (0.5 tsp) to the orange half.

Using a muddler, gently muddle the orange and fig jam together just enough to release juice and integrate the fig. Do not pulverize the peel — press mostly on the flesh to extract juice and aroma.

Add the blanco tequila (2 oz), pamplemousse liqueur (0.75 oz), Old Grand‑Dad 100 (0.25 oz), vanilla syrup (0.5 oz), cinnamon Campari (0.25 oz), and 3 dashes of Angostura bitters into the shaker with the muddled orange and fig.

Fill the shaker with ice (about 1 cup). Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the shaker is well chilled and slightly frosted.

Double-strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe or rocks glass over one large ice cube (or neat into a coupe). Double-straining (using both the shaker strainer and a fine mesh) removes pulp and fig seeds for a clean texture.

Pour the mezcal (0.25 oz) slowly over the back of a bar spoon as a float on top of the cocktail to give a smoky fig accent. Alternatively, gently layer the mezcal by pouring slowly over the ice or glass rim.

Finish by dropping 1–2 additional dashes of Angostura bitters on top of the foam/float and lightly dusting with a tiny pinch (about 1/4 tsp) of ground cinnamon if desired.

Garnish with a thin orange wheel or half‑moon and place a small dried fig or fresh fig slice on the rim or floated on the surface.

Serve immediately. Encourage the drinker to nose the mezcal fig float and cinnamon before sipping to experience the layered aroma.