Smoke on the Water

Fresh watermelon juice and a versatile hibiscus simple syrup give this Margarita riff from Chicago bartender Carlos Perez its fruity, botanical flavors and vibrant hue. Soaking the rosemary sprig garnish in liquor before you ignite it helps sustain its aromatic smoke, but you can skip this step if you like.

Ingredients (Cocktail):

• Rosemary sprig

• 100-proof alcohol, for soaking

• 1 1/2 ounces Banhez Mezcal Artesanal

• 3/4 ounce Cointreau

• 1 ounce watermelon juice, freshly pressed

• 1/2 ounce hibiscus simple syrup*

• 1/2 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed

• Garnish: flaming rosemary sprig

Instructions:

• Soak a fresh rosemary sprig upside down with 100-proof alcohol for five minutes.

• Add the mezcal, Cointreau, watermelon juice, hibiscus simple syrup, and lime juice to a shaker with ice, and shake until well-chilled.

• Double-strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

• Place the prepared sprig upright in the rocks glass, and light immediately before serving. Extinguish before drinking.

Attribution:

Recipe: Carlos Perez, Chicago

Origin: Liquor.com