2019-08-01_Men_s_Health_South_Africa

MH.CO.ZA/ August 2019 33

“This mezcal should

come with a warning

sign. It’s not for the

faint of heart, and has

a serious kick!”

KELLEIGH

KOREVAAR/

FEATURES WRITER

MONTELOBOS

“This is about as sweet

and smooth as a single-

malt whiskey – think

Tullamore Dew with a

bit of smokiness.”

NADIM NYKER/

DIGITAL EDITOR

LEONISTA

HONEY

REPOSADO

TEQUILA

COCKTA ILS

MEZCAL

COCKTA ILS

THE BIG SMOKE

50ML MONTELOBOS

MEZCAL

25ML APRICOT PUREE

15ML AGAVE SYRUP

2 DASHES AROMATIC

BITTERS

25ML LIME JUICE

5 MINT LEAVES

TOMMY’S

MARGARITA

50ML FORTALEZA OF

YOUR CHOICE

30ML LIME JUICE

15ML GRAPEFRUIT

JUICE

20ML AGAVE SPIRIT

for the phrase “100% agave” on the

label, rather than the word

“Tequila”.

TRACING THE FAMILY CACTUS

And then there’s mezcal – a

distilled alcoholic beverage made

from any agave plant (not

necessarily the blue), but also

recognised in specific regions of

Mexico only. All tequilas are

mezcals, but not all mezcals are

tequilas; which basically means

tequila is to mezcal what scotch and

bourbon are to whiskey.

While these Mexican spirits are

made from agave – albeit various

kinds – they’re produced in

different areas, distilled differently

and even labelled differently. And

as for the taste? Where tequila is

light, sweet and delicate, mezcal is

big, smoky-sweet, chewy and

delicious. If you want to go local, try

Leonista.

ALL THAT’S GOLD...

The way tequilas are labelled has

nothing to do with colour. “BS!” we

hear you say. “Are silver and gold

not colours, then?” Well, when it

comes to tequila... nope.

It’s actually all to do with age.

Tequila comes in blanco/silver/

plato versions (0-2 months),

reposado (2-12 months) and anejo

(1-3 years); whereas mezcal is

classified as joven/blanco/abacado

(0-2 months), reposado (2-12

months) and anejo (at least one

year). Who knew, right?

Ready for some sophisticated

sipping? Serve these spirited

cocktails at your next fiesta.

MEXICAN MULE

40ML LEONISTA HONEY

REPOSADO

340ML HAPPY CULTURE

GINGER & LEMON

KOMBUCHA

CRUSHED ICE

LIME WEDGE

THE PALOMA

60ML ALTOS PLATA

180ML GRAPEFRUIT

JUICE

3 LIME WEDGES

1 PINCH SALT

Fill your tumbler or

copper mule mug with

crushed ice. Squeeze the

lime wedge over, and

add the wedge to the

tumbler. Add the

Leonista, and top up with

kombucha to taste.

Place all the ingredients

except the lime in a highball

glass, and stir to dissolve

the salt. Then add ice, and

squeeze in two lime

wedges. Frost the glass with

natural crushed salt, and

garnish with a lime or

grapefruit wedge.

Shake all

ingredients with

ice. Strain over

crushed ice into

a julep cup, and

garnish with

candied

apricots and a

sprig of mint.

Place all of the

ingredients into

a cocktail

shaker. Shake

and strain over

ice into a

chilled tumbler.

Garnish with a

dried chilli.