Mexican Razor Blade

Dan Greenbaum, Attaboy | New York

Mexican Razor Blade

“The ‘spicy margarita’ order reminds me of the ‘fruity Martini’ order of five years ago,” says Dan Greenbaum formerly of Attaboy, the menu-free bar on New York’s Lower East Side. “It’s easy for bartenders to roll our eyes at it because the order is now cliché and a lot of the people that order it are basic, but it’s hard to deny that the combination works.”

Greenbaum’s Mexican Razor Blade is anything but basic. Simple but bold, the drink is a mix of cucumber, lime, syrup and tequila or mezcal, depending on the customer’s inclination towards smokiness.

The basic formula for the drink—citrus-driven agave base, sweetener, some heat—lends itself to adapting, which Greenbaum encourages. “You can swap in agave nectar or honey as the sweetener. If you have fresh chiles, you can throw them in there instead. Adding strawberries or other fruit can work well too.”

The drink was originally served up, but Greenbaum notes it works just as well on the rocks.

Ingredients

Serving: 1

  • 2 small slices cucumber
  • 2 small slices cucumber
  • 2 ounces tequila (or mezcal)
  • 2 ounces tequila (or mezcal)
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 3/4 ounce simple syrup
  • 3/4 ounce simple syrup

Garnish: cucumber slice and piquín chile, cayenne or other powdered chile

Directions
  1. Add ingredients to a shaking tin with ice and shake until chilled.
  2. Strain into a coupe, if using, or a rocks glass over fresh ice.
  3. Float a cucumber slice as garnish and sprinkle piquín chile, cayenne or other powdered chile on top.
Editor's Note

This drink can easily be scaled up into a large-format cocktail; for guidelines, see here.