Oaxacan Old Fashioned Recipe

Oaxacan Old Fashioned recipe — The Old Fashioned's smoky Mexican cousin who studied abroad and never shut up about it. Made with mezcal. Originally from United States.

I'm that friend who went to art school and now exclusively drinks "authentic" mezcal while explaining the terroir of every sip. I take my whiskey neat and my agave smoky, because subtlety is for people who don't understand craftsmanship. Yes, I will judge your mainstream liquor choices, but I'll also blow your mind.

Mezcal production requires cooking agave hearts in underground pits for up to a week, which is why it tastes like a campfire made love to tequila. Some mezcals contain a larva called 'gusano' not for flavor, but as proof of alcohol content - if the worm is preserved, the mezcal is strong enough.

Created in the 2000s by craft bartenders who wanted to give the classic Old Fashioned a smoky Mexican twist. The drink gained popularity as mezcal became more available in American bars, offering whiskey lovers a chance to explore agave spirits in a familiar format.

Ingredients

• 2 oz mezcal (preferably espadín variety)
• 0.25 oz agave syrup
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• 1 dash chocolate bitters (optional but recommended)
• 1 piece orange peel (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Add mezcal, agave syrup, and bitters to a rocks glass with a large ice cube.
2. Stir gently for 20-30 seconds until well chilled.
3. Express orange peel oils over the drink and drop in as garnish.

Category: cocktail | Difficulty: easy | Base spirit: mezcal | ABV: 28.0-32.0%

Origin: United States