This cocktail, a modern classic, was invented by the famed Phil Ward at one of New York’s best cocktail bars, Death and Company. They featured it on their first menu in 2007, and it went on to become their best-selling drink. I received their gorgeous cocktail book for Christmas and have been reading my way through it. I’d heard of this one before, but realized I’d never actually made it. Had to change that!
The drink is a delicious blend of agave-based liqueurs and syrups, accompanied by a dash or two of bitters. It doesn’t shy away from tequila’s vegetal flavors, covering them up with lots of sweet-and-sour like most tequila drinks, but instead celebrates them. It’s a lovely sipping drink, and I recommend it highly.
I’ve included the official recipe here, but when I make it I take the mezcal up to a whopping ounce, and double the agave. I like my drinks boozy (and smoky, apparently).
This article is a modified and enhanced version of a post that ran on my nightly cocktail blog, DrinkShouts. Liquors in parentheses are what I used when I made this recipe, and are included as suggestions.
The Oaxaca Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
- Cocktail Strainer
- Bar spoon
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. Reposado Tequila Maestro Dobel
- .5 oz. Mezcal Ilegal Joven
- 1 tsp. Agave nectar
- Dash Angostura Bitters Angostura Bitters
- Flamed orange twist Garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a pint glass over ice and stir thoroughly.
- Strain into a chilled, ice-filled rocks glass. Flamed orange twist garnish optional (it’s listed once in their book with it, and once without).