The Mess-cal

Toby Cecchini, Long Island Bar | Brooklyn, NY

“A guy came into my bar and, without any prompting, asked me to make him a drink that was a mockup of a rabid polar bear wrestling a naked clown,” says Toby Cecchini, who, unsurprisingly, cites it as the strangest drink request he’s ever gotten. The resulting cocktail, The Mess-cal, is a mega-sized take on the unorthodox prompt. Says Cecchini, “I can’t account for the drink’s balance or subtlety, but he said I nailed it dead.”

Ingredients

Serving: 1

  • 1 1/2 ounces white rum, preferably Plantation White 3 Stars
  • 1 1/2 ounces white rum, preferably Plantation White 3 Stars
  • 1/2 ounce rhum agricole, preferably Rhum J.M. Blanc
  • 1/2 ounce rhum agricole, preferably Rhum J.M. Blanc
  • 1/2 ounce mezcal, preferably Del Maguey Minero
  • 1/2 ounce mezcal, preferably Del Maguey Minero
  • 1/2 ounce Cynar
  • 1/2 ounce Cynar
  • 1/2 ounce Bigallet Viriana China China Amer
  • 1/2 ounce Bigallet Viriana China China Amer
  • 3/4 ounce PX sherry, preferably Lustau
  • 3/4 ounce PX sherry, preferably Lustau
  • barspoon cinnamon tincture
  • barspoon cinnamon tincture

Garnish: grapefruit peel

Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients over ice in a mixing glass and stir.
  2. Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube.
  3. Garnish with a large grapefruit peel.