Mexican Sleigh Ride

Mexican Sleigh Ride: mezcal, honey vodka, and maraschino, with orange peel and a maraschino cherry, will keep you warm on a cold winter’s night.

I usually try not to post a cocktail more than once a month. I have so many ideas for this blog I want to rotate what I post and try to not have this be just a cocktail blog. But, I had to share this fantastic drink before the holidays are over. This cocktail of mezcal, honey vodka, and maraschino liqueur, garnished with an orange peel and a maraschino cherry, is genuinely something special. My first foray into the Spring44 Distillery’s spirits surprisingly wasn’t my favorite gin from Spring44, but, it was their incredible honey vodka. I was visiting my friends in Loveland, Colorado. I was offered a nightcap of this exceptional honey vodka that they wanted to show off as a local spirit. One sip and I was hooked on how genuinely delicious and different it was from what I imagined it to be. Spring44’s Honey Vodka isn’t really sweet. It has this wonderful essence of honey, vanilla, and just a hint of nuttiness that is just marvelous. I’ve been wanting to find a cocktail that brought out these flavors.

It finally dawned on me that mezcal, with its smokey characteristics, would pair incredibly well with a honey vodka. I wanted to add Maraschino liqueur, which has some almond notes that would bring out the honey vodka’s subtle nutty notes. I then started to play around with various liqueurs that might add some complexity to this cocktail. I tried different liqueurs and even orange juice to see what I might come up with to make this my own concoction. It turns out the original idea of just the three liquors, a dash of bitters, and a garnish was all it really needed. Sometimes an idea really doesn’t need time to cook but to be let out quickly and not overthought.

This Mexican Sleigh Ride is truly something special. The mezcal’s smokiness brings out the honey flavor wonderfully, and the aroma of the orange peel and the cherry just bring this all together to make a fantastic cocktail.  If you are looking for something special to serve at your next winter’s cocktail hour, this is one you should give a ride.

The Honey vodka from Spring44 can be found in many liquor stores across the country, or you can order it from their website. (They are not sponsoring this. But It is truly my favorite spirit distillery, and I’m proud to feature a local company.) The Mezcal I used is from Oaxaca, Mexico called Xicaru Silver. It is an excellent mezcal which I discovered one day in a local liquor store. If you can’t find either of these wonderful spirits, you can substitute for a different mezcal or honey vodka. But they are worth seeking out. To make this tasty drink, you will not need fancy equipment, just some ice cubes and something to mix it in. I used this fantastic mixing glass I found on Amazon, but you can use whatever you have to mix this cocktail. Amazon has the orange bitters and the classic real Maraschino Cherries, which are worth every penny! I have added the links for them as well. (I get a tiny commission for any sales with links from this page, please consider using them to help fund this blog)

This is definitely not your usual holiday this year. But I hope you are staying safe and smart and finding some joy and happiness. Please think of others in your choices of what you do and with whom you gather. We will all get through this. Let me know in the comments below what you are serving this holiday.

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Mexican Sleigh Ride

Mexican Sleigh Ride: mezcal, honey vodka, and maraschino. With orange peel and a maraschino cherry. Keeps you warm on a winter’s night.

Course: cocktails

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: holiday cocktails, honey vodka, honey vodka cocktails, Mezcal, Spring44 Gin

Ingredients

• 1 ½ oz Spring44 Honey Vodka
• 1 oz Xicaru Silver Mezcal
• 1/2 oz Maraschino liqueur
• 2 dashes Orange bitters

For garnish

• 1 long piece of orange peel pith removed
• 1 Maraschino cherry

Instructions

1. Place one large ice cube or several smaller cubes into a single old-fashioned glass.
2. Fill a cocktail mixing glass. (You can use the bottom of a cocktail shaker or even a 2-cup measuring class.) halfway with ice.
3. Add the Honey Vodka, Mezcal, and the Maraschino liqueur.
4. Using a long spoon, stir the cocktail for about 1 minute.
5. Strain into the prepared old-fashioned glass.
6. Squeeze or twist the orange peel above the cocktail to release some of the oils.
7. Garnish with the orange peel and a maraschino cherry.