The Richmond Sunday Recipe

Prepare honey syrup (if not ready)

Combine equal parts honey and warm water (for this recipe, 1/4 cup honey + 1/4 cup warm water works). Stir until honey fully dissolves. Cool before using. Measure 0.5 oz for the cocktail.

Muddle rosemary

Place the rosemary sprig in the base of a shaker. Gently slap the sprig once between your palms to release oils, then lightly muddle the sprig (2–3 presses) to release aroma without shredding leaves.

Build and shake

Add mezcal (2 oz), fresh pink grapefruit juice (1 oz), fresh lime juice (1/2 oz), honey syrup (1/2 oz) and red aperitivo/Campari (1/2 oz) into the shaker with the muddled rosemary. Fill the shaker about 3/4 full with ice.

Dry chill (optional)

If you prefer a slightly brighter texture, cap the shaker and shake without ice for 5–7 seconds (this chills the mixture slightly and helps integrate aromatics).

Shake with ice

Add ice if you did a dry chill; otherwise proceed. Shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the shaker feels very cold and slightly frosted.

Double strain into glass

Double strain the cocktail (using the shaker strainer and a fine mesh strainer) into a chilled old-fashioned or rocks glass over one large ice cube or fresh ice. Double straining removes small rosemary bits and any grapefruit pulp for a clean presentation.

Garnish and finish

Express the oils of a grapefruit twist over the drink (hold twist over surface and give it a quick squeeze) and rub the peel on the rim if desired. Lay the rosemary sprig gently on the surface or tuck it beside the ice, and optionally float a thin wheel or segment of grapefruit. Serve immediately.

Notes

Adjust sweetness by increasing or decreasing honey syrup by 0.25 oz. Use a high-quality mezcal for smoky depth; the red aperitivo adds bitter-sweet counterpoint and a pink hue. For a lighter drink, use 1.5 oz mezcal and increase grapefruit to 1.25 oz.