tainted love

1 oz Amaras Mezcal
1 oz Kronan Swedish Punsch
1/2 oz Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

For Yacht Rock Sunday two Sundays ago, I wanted to do something with the bottle of Swedish punsch that arrived at the bar earlier that week. Looking through Swedish punsch recipes that I have tried before, the Havana Cocktail caught my eye since it also called for apricot liqueur that arrived in the same delivery as the punsch. I had also thought about how well tequila worked with Swedish punsch in the Chutes & Ladders, so I decided to switch the base spirit from gin to mezcal and the citrus from lemon to lime.
The Tainted Love greeted the nose with orange and apricot aromas. Lime and orchard fruit on the sip gave way to smoky mezcal, funky rum, and tea tannins on the swallow with an apricot finish. Here, the mezcal's smoke was a part of the drink instead of being dominant.