Maxwell Reis, Beverage Director for Gracias Madre in Los Angeles, is a proselytizer for cocktails with a split base of gin and mezcal. “I love blowing people’s minds with the combination of gin and mezcal. Even though [they] are such extreme flavors and polarized concepts, I often find the herbaceousness of gin and the natural minerality of mezcal blend together seamlessly.” In this White Negroni riff, Reis also trades out the traditional Suze for the lighter Salers, putting the mezcal and gin alchemy front and center in the cocktail.
White Mezcal Negroni
Maxwell Reis, Gracias Madre | Los Angeles

Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 3/4 ounce London dry gin
- 3/4 ounce espadin mezcal
- 3/4 ounce Salers Aperitif
- 3/4 ounce blanc vermouth, preferably Dolin
Garnish: grapefruit twist or mint sprig
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir until chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
- Garnish with a grapefruit twist or mint sprig.