Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

Mix your best mezcal into these holiday cocktails

Your best mezcal needn't only be for sipping

By
mezcal holiday cocktails unio n royale
Mezcal Unión Uno

We’ve extolled the virtues of holiday tequila cocktails before, but what about tequila’s smokier cousin, mezcal? Known for its rich and deep flavors, mezcal can add a depth and interest to many cocktails but it can be a little intimidating to mix with. But fear not! These recipes from Mezcal Union show how to make use of your best mezcals in tasty and seasonal drinks for the holidays.

Oaxacan Hot Toddy

Mezcal Unión Uno

Ingredients:

  • 1.1 oz Mezcal Unión Uno
  • 1.1 oz. Hot Water
  • 1.1 oz Apple Cider (homemade if possible)
  • 0.8 oz Agave Honey
  • 0.5 oz Herbal Liqueur
  • 0.5 oz Lemon Juice

Method:

Recommended Videos

Mix ingredients together and pour into a rocks glass. Include a slice of lemon. Enjoy!

Glassware: Rocks

Garnish: Lemon Slice

Related

Unión Jolly & Holly

Mezcal Unión Uno

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Mezcal Unión Uno
  • 1 oz Club Soda
  • 0.5 oz Lime Juice
  • 0.5 oz Honey

Method: In a rocks glass over ice, add Mezcal Unión and honey then stir to combine. Add club soda and lime juice then stir again. Garnish with berries and enjoy!

Glassware: Rocks

Ice: Cube

Garnish: Berries

Unión Ruby Wonderland

Mezcal Unión Uno

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz Mezcal Unión Uno
  • 1 oz Red Wine
  • 6 Cloves
  • 1 Star Anise
  • 1 Orange
  • 1 Lemon
  • Sugar

Method:

Mix ingredients together and pour into a Hurricane Glass. Enjoy!

Glassware: Hurricane Glass

Garnish: Cloves, Star Anise, Orange and Lemon Peel

Mezcal Unión Royale

Mezcal Unión Uno

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Mezcal Unión Uno
  • 0.5 oz Rosemary Syrup
  • 0.75 oz Lemon Juice
  • Tonic Water
  • 1 Rosemary Sprig
  • Green Grapes

Method:

Mix Mezcal Unión Uno with ingredients, add ice, and top with tonic water. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and green grapes for good luck. Enjoy!

Glassware: Wine Glass

Ice: Cube

Garnish: Rosemary Sprig and Green Grapes

Editors’ Recommendations

Georgina Torbet
Georgina Torbet
Georgina Torbet is a cocktail enthusiast based in Berlin, with an ever-growing gin collection and a love for trying out new…
The most unexpected drink I’ve seen this year is the Gin & Cabernet Sour
It's like a New York Sour. But with gin?
Cab Sour

As someone who is interested in cocktails, after a while you tend to assume that trends and recipes are predictable. You take a classic drink, then add an ingredient, or infuse something into the spirit, or swap out the base. That's a whole world of fun and flavor to explore, but it's rare that you'll truly be surprised by a recipe.

That's why I had to take a moment to consider a new recipe which I saw for this first time this week, which involves a combination I have never in my life imagined: gin and red wine. The Gin & Cabernet Sour, from wine brand WSJ Wine, pairs up the juniper, bitter notes of gin with the rich, heavy flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon, balanced with Cointreau, simple syrup, and lemon juice.

Read more
Take your Margarita up a notch with beautiful garnishes, like this bar does
Visual appeal is as important as flavor in creating a great drink
The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel Margarita

It's Margarita season, and that means you'll be seeing Margarita recipes which incorporate fruits, infused tequilas, and even alternative spirits like mezcal. But if you'd prefer to keep your Margaritas more on the classic side, then there are still changes you can make to fancy them up.

One option is to keep the changes minimal, such as switching out the usual lime juice for lemon juice. That adds a tart, sharp note to the drink, and lemon is a natural partner for tequila. You should also feel free to play with the proportions of tequila, triple sec, and citrus juice to find your own preference, as well as adding a sweetner like simple syrup if required. One thing to remember is that the freshness of your citrus will make a big difference to its flavor, so fresher citrus juice may not require any additional sweetner at all, while if you're using older lemons or limes you might need to help them out with a little additional sugar.

Read more
The drink of the summer: White Port & Tonic
These Portugese classic is ready for its international debut
Taylor Fladgate Chip Dry White Port & Tonic

Though winter is still in full swing, let's take some joy in looking ahead to summer -- and what we might all be drinking in a few months' time. One drink that's up on professional radars for 2025 is the White Port and Tonic, the unofficial drink of Porto and a low-abv sipper that's big on flavor and refreshingly casual.

I'm personally delighted about this development, as I spent a very happy summer in Porto a few years ago, enjoying the excellent food and drink there as well as the gorgeous ocean views. Something I appreciated about the culture there was that port was absolutely not a stuffy, elite, or terribly expensive drink. Rather it was something to casually sip after finishing a pizza, or something to share with friends sat on a wall overlooking the city. Certainly, more aged and pricey ports are available -- and are interesting to drink in their own right -- but port can also be something relaxed and informal.

Read more