Smoke & Ice

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy here.

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.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

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.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

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.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

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 Rating: ⭐⭐

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."

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Mezcal + Tequila Cocktails: Mixed Drinks for the Golden Age of Agave by Robert Simonson.