black derby

1 1/2 oz Mezcal El Silencio Espadin
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/4 oz Honey Syrup (2:1)
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

When I was ordering the Black Magic at the Silencio Mezcal launch party at Backbar, bartender Carlo Caroscio commented that the cocktail on the five drink list that was his was the Black Derby. Therefore, I selected that one as my next go to. It was subtitled a "Refreshing, smoky twist on the classic," where the classic was the Brown Derby with Bourbon, grapefruit, and honey that I wrote about after having Jackson Cannon's rum-based Honey Fitz at Tales of the Cocktail 2010. Here, the spirit was mezcal and the classic's citrus and sweetener were bolstered with lime juice and cinnamon syrup.
In the glass, the Black Derby proffered smoky and floral notes from the mezcal and honey, respectively. Next, a crisp lime sip opened the gate to a mezcal, grapefruit, and honey swallow with a cinnamon finish.