Rising Sun is based on the cocktail conceived by Toro Bravo, a restaurant in Portland, Oregon. I’ve been looking for a mezcal cocktail to have in my repertoire. This smokey and citrusy Mezcal based libation definitely is worthy of my attention. The Mezcal, Grapefruit and lime juice cocktail is finished off with Maraschino liquor for a little sweetness and a pinch of salt to balance it all. Mezcal cocktails can sometimes be too intensely smoky. Still, the Rising Sun’s combo of bright citrus and nutty, sweet maraschino tames the smoke. The Rising Sun is a very refreshing cocktail full of delicious flavors that will please your taste buds.
Mezcal is the smokey cousin of tequila. It has been slowly gaining popularity in the States through popular cooking shows and cookbooks. Chefs and restaurants such as Rick Bayless of Chicago or the restaurant Nopalito, In San Francisco, use Mezcal in fabulous concoctions showcasing Mezcal’s complexities. I had the exciting experience of dining at Rick Bayless’s restaurant Frontera Cocina at Walt Disney World. The restaurant is a fun way to have a lunch or dinner of incredible Mexican foods, most of which are not your typical enchiladas and burritos. My Brother and I braved guacamole topped with crispy spiced grasshoppers (yes grasshoppers!) I had a piece of grouper smothered in a green mole sauce that was to die for.
I also got to order a Mezcal flight of 6 different tastes of various Mezcals. Though I have had Mezcal before, having a tasting flight of 6 was an incredible way of getting to taste Mezcal’s varieties. I really enjoyed the smokiness and complexities the different mezcals offered.
What is the difference between Tequila and Mezcal? Tequila is typically produced by steaming agave inside industrial ovens before being distilled two or three times in copper pots. Mezcal, on the other hand, the agave is cooked inside earthen pits that are lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal before being distilled in clay pots. This process really gives Mezcal it’s distinctive smoky flavor.
Toro Bravo, unfortunately, looks like it is closed at the moment. Still, they hopefully will survive from this mess and be serving these beauties soon. The mezcal in the origanal seemed a just a bit overpowereing so I adjusted the maraschino and lime juice just a hair to balance it. I used Xicaru Silver Mezcal from the Oaxaca region of Mexico.The smokeyness is fantastic in this cocktail. It is funny how the Oaxaca region keeps coming up on my radar. I want to study more about this south western state of Mexico. If you haven’t checked out some of the food series on Netflix, such as the incredible Taco Chronicles or Street Food, Latin America, you are missing out on some serious food porn! Oaxaca is featured in both those series as well as many othert series. Xicaru Mezcal has a really great flavor that I have enjoyed sipping by itself. But the flavor really blossomed in The Rising Sun Cocktail. I encourage you to seek this bottle out or ask for a good Mezcal from your local liquor store.
- 1 ½ oz. Mezcal
- ¾ oz. Fresh grapefruit juice
- ¾ oz. Fresh lime juice
- ¾ oz. Maraschino Liquor
- Pinch of Pink sea salt
- Lime wheel to garnish
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Chill a coupe glass in the freezer until very cold or fill the glass with ice to quickly chill it down.
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Combine Mezcal, juices, and maraschino liquor in a cocktail shaker filled with ice; shake vigorously and strain into a coupe glass.
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Sprinkle very lightly with some pink sea salt.
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Garnish with a lime wheel.
