[vespertina]

1 oz Milagro Blanco Tequila
1 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida
1 oz Cocchi Americano

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Twist a grapefruit peel over the top and discard.

Last Monday I headed down to Drink and found a seat at the center section where California Gold was tending bar. For my first drink, we got on the topic of tequila and mezcal, and Cali wondered how the two would work in a Vesper variation using Cocchi Americano in place of the Lillet. She originally proposed the standard 3:1:1/2 proportions; however, I did not think that the Cocchi Americano flavors would stand up as well to the agave spirits as it would in a gin and vodka drink. The proportions eventually morphed into an equal parts recipe (the other option was a 3 tequila:2 Cocchi: 1 mezcal which would have the same amount of Cocchi Americano as the equal parts recipe but with less smokiness).
The drink started with a robust grapefruit oil nose that worked well with the Cocchi Americano's citrus notes and with the agave spirits' flavor. Midway through the drink, the aroma shifted to mainly mezcal as the grapefruit oils dissipated and the alcohol volatized. Cocchi's fruit began each sip, tequila resided in the middle, and the mezcal's smoke predominated on the swallow. I was impressed at how the tequila's sharpness did a good job accentuating the citrus elements in the Cocchi Americano.