The Mcℚueen Cocktail

a.k.a. the Smoky Smoke Smoke

Recipe

Ingredients

1 oz.
Glenrothes Select Reserve
1 oz.
Fidencio Classico Mezcal
1/2 oz.
Simple Syrup
1 dash
Mexican Chocolate Bitters
6 dashes
Regan's Orange Bitters
1
Grapefruit peel twist

Instructions

  1. Stir scotch, mezcal, simple syrup, and bitters in a mixing glass with ice.
  2. Mist (or wash) coupe glass with Ardbeg 10yr.
  3. Strain cocktail into misted (or washed) coupe.
  4. Flame the grapefruit twist and drop into the coupe.

The Story

This cocktail, invented by John McCarthy while head bartender at Mary Queen of Scots in NYC is a tribute to fashion designer Alexander Mcℚueen. Mcℚueen sources his tartan from the Speyside region in Scotland, which is why you find The Glenrothes Select Reserve at the top of the ingredients list.

Better known as the "Smoky Smoke Smoke" when it won the Great King Street Cocktail Competition, it's surprisingly well balanced. McCarthy escribes his vision for the cocktail, "I wanted take these two amazing terroir-driven spirits and make them work together. Not just, like, kill you." Mission accomplished!

We hope you enjoy this cocktail as much as we do!