high desert swizzle

1 1/2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida
3/4 oz Strawberry Shrub (*)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Rich Demerara Syrup (2:1)

Build in a Collins glass filled with crushed ice. Swizzle to mix and chill. Garnish with a lime slice and add a straw.
(*) See an easy recipe here and just switch strawberry for blueberry.

After the Brown Bomber two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make the High Desert Swizzle that Tommy Klus published on ShakeStir. I had the chance to meet Tommy at Tales of the Cocktail last year when he was one of the two bartenders making drinks on the New Orleans cemeteries tour. Back then, he was working at Portland's Teardrop and he helped me get the recipe for the delicious Thai Chi Chi his bar served at the Barroom Brawl two nights before. Now, he works across town at Kask.

The recipe seemed quite alluring for strawberry historically pairs quite well with agave spirits such as in the Cantante Para Mi Vida and Alice in Wonderland No. 2. In addition, Tommy's description of how "the vinegar in the shrub brightens and pronounces all the flavors of the mezcal" seemed quite intriguing. Luckily, I had an batch of strawberry shrub from a previous season ready to go!
The lime wheel garnish contributed greatly to the Swizzle's aroma and it prepared the mouth for the strawberry and lime sip. The swallow showcased the interesting interaction of the mezcal and the vinegar; indeed, the vinegar did an excellent job highlighting the sharper vegetal aspects of the agave.