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Cocktail History
The Smoke & Ice is a modern cocktail that was created in 2016 by Jessica Gonzalez at Market Street in Rhinebeck, New York. The recipe starts with the familiar Negroni template that calls for a spirit, Campari, and vermouth, but this version uses mezcal in place of gin and also infuses pineapple into the Campari for more flavor and complexity.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Mezcal: This is a spirit made in Mexico with agave, sugar, and alcohol that is aged in an underground pit lined with wood. I used Rayu Espadín Mezcal.
Pineapple-Infused Campari: This is a liqueur made in Italy with pineapple, gentian root, rhubarb, citrus, herbs, aromatic plants, fruit, and alcohol.
Sweet Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. I used Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth.
Dark Chocolate Shavings: This is candy made with cocoa, sugar, and milk. I used a Divine Dark Chocolate Bar.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. I used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. I used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Vibrant orange-red color
• Aroma: Familiar Campari and earthy mezcal
• Taste: Initially fruity taste featuring herbal orange and pineapple before evolving into mezcal’s smokiness
• Finish: Sweet yet bitter Campari notes
Kendall’s Take: “Wow, this is one bitter drink! I could only take one sip because the mezcal and Campari were so bracing together. The pineapple and sweet vermouth are obviously there to smooth out their rough edges a bit, but it was still too much for me. If you like a Negroni, you might enjoy the Smoke & Ice, but if you’re averse to their flavor combination like I am, you probably won’t like it either.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was found in the book Mezcal + Tequila Cocktails: Mixed Drinks for the Golden Age of Agave by Robert Simonson.
Smoke & Ice
Description
The Smoke & Ice is a modern cocktail, created in 2016 by Jessica Gonzalez in Rhinebeck, New York, that Takes the classic Negroni template and swaps gin for smoky mezcal. It then infuses the Campari with pineapple for added depth and intrigue.
Ingredients
Method
Add mezcal, Campari, and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass.
Fill mixing glass with cubed ice.
Using a bar spoon, stir for 30-45 seconds until well-chilled and slightly diluted.
Add a clear ice cube to a lowball glass.
Using a julep strainer, strain into lowball glass.
Garnish with dark chocolate shavings.
