Mezcal Paloma
Smoky mezcal meets tart grapefruit soda in the drink that every great dive bar in Oaxaca City keeps behind the counter.
Prep: 5 · Cook: 0 · Total: 5 · Serves: 1 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.7/5 (198 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
Oaxacan cantina culture — Oaxaca City, Mexico
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
The Paloma is arguably Mexico's most popular cocktail, built on tequila and grapefruit soda. Swapping in mezcal pulls it toward Oaxaca and adds a layer of smoke and complexity that the original never needed but absolutely benefits from.
Story
I rolled into Austin on a Tuesday, which is the best day to roll into Austin because every dive bar is trying to earn your business. Found this version at a taqueria near South Congress where the bartender had mezcal on the well rail like it was tequila and the whole place smelled like charred agave and corn tortillas. She threw in a pinch of salt before shaking and when I asked why she just said 'always.' Tried it back in Brooklyn the next week with a joven from Oaxaca City and it hit exactly the same way. This is a road-trip drink that tastes like a place.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 2 oz mezcal (joven)
- 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
- 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
- 0.5 oz agave syrup
- 2 oz grapefruit soda (Jarritos or Squirt)
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Chili-salt rim (Tajin works great)
- Grapefruit wedge, for garnish
Instructions
- Run a grapefruit wedge around the rim of a tall glass. Dip the rim in Tajin or chili-salt mix and set the glass aside.
- Fill the glass with ice, going all the way to the top. The more ice, the slower the dilution and the better the drink.
- Combine the mezcal, fresh grapefruit juice, lime juice, agave syrup, and a pinch of kosher salt in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 10 seconds.
- Strain the shaken mix into the prepared glass over fresh ice.
- Top with grapefruit soda, pouring slowly down the side of the glass to preserve the fizz.
- Squeeze a grapefruit wedge over the top, drop it in, and hand it over. This one is best ice-cold and consumed fast.
Chef Tips
- Use a joven or espadin mezcal. Heavily peated single-malt style mezcals can overpower the grapefruit.
- Tajin on the rim is non-negotiable as far as I am concerned. The chili heat and citric acid balance the smokiness perfectly.
- Jarritos grapefruit soda is the real deal. Squirt is a solid backup.
- Agave syrup is thinner than simple syrup and integrates better with mezcal. A 1:1 agave-water dilution also works.
Cook's Notes
- **Mezcal selection:** Look for a joven mezcal in the 40-45% ABV range. Brands like El Silencio, Banhez, or Montelobos work well at this price point.
- **Fresh juice only:** Bottled grapefruit juice will flatten the drink. Squeeze fresh. It takes 90 seconds and the difference is obvious.
- **Salt in the shaker:** That pinch of kosher salt in the shaker is not optional. It rounds off the bitterness and makes everything pop.