Illegal
Smoky mezcal meets spiced falernum and freshly squeezed lime, with a hint of cherry from maraschino.
Ingredients
- Mezcal, Espadín30 ml
- Overproof rum, Jamaican, overproof15 ml
- Falernum15 ml
- Maraschino liqueur5 ml
- Lime juice, freshly squeezed22.5 ml
- Simple syrup (1 part Sugar, 1 part Water)15 ml
- Egg white, for a silky texture (optional)15 ml
- Lime, dried, to garnish (optional)1 wheel
Method
- Fill the serving glass with ice and water, so it chills while you get the cocktail ready.
- Measure all the ingredients into a shaker, adding the egg white now if you are using it.
- Dry-shake without ice for about 15 seconds, so the egg white emulsifies and foams.
- Fill the shaker with plenty of ice.
- Shake hard for another 15 seconds, until the shaker is ice-cold and frosted.
- Double-strain through a Hawthorne and a fine-mesh strainer into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with a dried lime wheel or a lime twist, if you like.
IBA (International Bartenders Association)
About this drink
The Illegal came out of the mezcal wave, when bartenders began building Daiquiri-style drinks around the smoky agave spirit instead of rum. The name plays on mezcal's past as home-distilled, illicit spirit in Mexico, long before it became a respected presence behind the bar. Overproof rum, falernum and maraschino bring a complex, spiced sweetness that stands up well to the mezcal's earthy smoke.
