tres piñas

1 1/2 oz Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal
1/2 oz Small Hand Foods Pineapple Gum Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Cynar

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe glass

Monday last week, Andrea and I stopped in to Estragon for dinner. Bartender Sahil Mehta recommended the Tres Piña for my first drink which sounded good as it reminded me of the Under the Volcano. Sahil later explained the name to symbolize a trio of ingredients; both the heart of the agave plant that is roasted and the pineapple are called piña. For the third, Sahil found the Cynar's artichoke to very similar in appearance to the other two piñas. Moreover, his first two ideas, the Smokin' Choke and the Piñata, had already been taken.
The Tres Piñas began with a smoky mezcal aroma that shared hints of lime. The lime filled the sip along with a thick mouthfeel from the syrup's gum arabic and the mezcal's agave nectar. Finally, the swallow began with smoky agave notes and ended with earthy pineapple ones. The small amount of Cynar led to a subtle dark tone but not the bitter herbal one seen in drinks using a stronger pour of the liqueur.