It Ain’t Berlin Cocktail

I’m going to start with a bold statement: I think that this is the best cocktail I’ve ever had. It is everything you’ve ever dreamed a margarita (or mezcalita) could be. Since I first tasted it, it’s all I want to drink. The core is the same as that classic Mexcan tipple — mezcal, lime juice, and orange liqueur — but then the complex aromatics of Lillet Blanc and a heavy rinse of absinthe transform it into something completely different. Every time you’ve ever ordered a specialty margarita and hoped for something that would change you, this is the drink that you didn’t know you were longing for.

Some months back now, I put this recipe together with a friend in Berlin. At the time, because of the general rarity of mezcal in Europe, we called it the Berlain’t. That then became It Ain’t Berlin, which has a nice ring to it. You could also call it a Day of the Dead (or Dia de los Muertos)  because it is essentially a mezcal-based Corpse Reviver No. 2 with our own tweaked measurements.

Corpse Revivers, despite their spooky-sounding name, are actually just old hangover cures from the 19th century. The Corpse Reviver No. 1 is basically just a glass of different brandies mixed together to allow imbibers to hide from the indulgences of the previous night. The Corpse Reviver No. 2, though, is a complex and wonderful drink, though traditionally gin-based. With this recipe, we’ve swapped in mezcal and increased its proportion to let the smoky spirit shine. With the absinthe, as well, the proportion is pushed higher. I suggest a heavy rinse, with the remnants of the spirit being left in the glass so that the sweet aroma of anise really weaves itself through the drink.

Whether you pour it as an It Ain’t Berlin or Berlain’t, tell your friends that it’s a mezcal Corpse Reviver No. 2, or sling them as a seasonally appropriate Dia de los Muertos cocktail, it’s a cocktail that you honestly need to try — and one that you’ll keep coming back to.

It Ain't Berlin - A Mezcal Cocktail

Akin to a mezcal-based Corpse Reviver No. 2, this cocktail combines the smoky spirit with Lillet Blanc, dry curacao, fresh lime juice, and a heavy rinse of absinthe to create a drink that is like a margarita from a fever dream. (AKA Berlain't, AKA Day of the Dead Cocktail, AKA Dia de los Muertos Cocktail)

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 ¼ oz. mezcal
• 1 oz. Lillet Blanc
• 1 oz. dry curacao
• 1 oz. lime juice freshly squeezed
• ¼ oz. absinthe
• 1 lime wheel to garnish (optional)

Method

 

1. Add everything except the absinthe to a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake until well chilled.
2. Pour the absinthe into the glass and swirl it to coat the sides.
3. Strain the cocktail into the glass and garnish with a lime wheel, if desired.