darling nikki

1 oz Xicaru Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 oz Strawberry Puree (1 medium Strawberry, muddled)

Shake with ice, (double) strain into a snifter or double old fashioned glass, and garnish with a mint sprig.After having enjoyed the D'yer Mak'er a few weeks before, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for Monkeypod Wailea in Hawaii and selected the Darling Nikki. This Prince song tribute was spotted in Yelp drink photos as far back as late 2018 and as recently as 2023. At first, it came across like an M&M shooter with lime and strawberry notes, but then I recalled Sable's Speaking in Tongues which had Abano and lemon instead of the Darling Nikki's Montenegro and lime. Once prepared, the Darling Nikki opened up with mint, vegetal, and smoke aromas. Next, lime and berry notes on the sip gave way to smoky, vegetal, strawberry, and clementine flavors on the swallow.