1.5oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven
.75oz Lime Juice
.75oz Pineapple Juice
.50oz Agave Syrup
3 slices of cucumber muddled
Build all ingredients in cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously with ice. Strain over fresh ice with no garnish
Signature Ilegal Mezcal Cocktail by Gilberto Marquez
3 Scoops Van Leeuwen Paloma Sorbet
1oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven
1oz Grapefruit Juice
1 Beer
Pour mezcal and grapefruit juice over the sorbet, and top off with beer (we use Tecate).
Ilegal Mezcal Joven is an ingredient in Van Leeuwen’s January flavor of the month, inspired by the Paloma cocktail.
Signature Ilegal Mezcal Cocktail by Gilbert Marquez
ARTIST STATEMENT:
Hidden in the south of Mexico lies a small region containing a community which follows pre-columbian Zapotecan customs. Juchitán is not only the last matriarchy in Mexico but also the only place in the country that acknowledges a third gender. Our collaboration revolves around them; the Muxes.
The Muxes are what American society would classify as transgender. Male born members of the Zapotecan culture that take on the roles of women. The inspiration for this project is the deep involvement of the Muxes’ role in their community. In an age of increasing connectivity and outside influences, the Muxes and the ancient Zapotecan traditions are being preserved and protected by the people and government of Oaxaca, from the heteronormativity that most cultures impose.
Immersing ourselves in their culture and integrating with the members of this region, we captured their truthful spirit, transforming it into visual statements for our audience to feel and experience. Through a combination of photography and mixed media, we to show our viewers how this society that is run with respect and acceptance is more beneficial than harmful.
We are both queer artists with a mutual admiration for each others artistic styles it was clear to us the necessity to create something beautiful, reflecting the special affinity and respect we have for the sociocultural importance of this group and its members. We hope our viewers feel moved by the evocative and thoughtful visual exploration we present.
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Clearly a special occasion sort of spirit—kept under black wax-dipped cork—it can hardly be seen as a coincidence that it dropped just before the holiday season. And yes, it will make a great holiday dram for the agave-lovers in your gift-giving circle. But given the level of craftsmanship involved, the $175 asking price could actually be read as a bargain.
When to use mezcal or tequila? Since mezcal and tequila are both made from agave, they work well in similar drinks. [Ilegal Global Brand Ambassador Gilbert] Marquez uses the mantra, “if it grows together, it goes together.”
“For me, flavors that are endemic to Mexico will always pair well with mezcal or tequila,” he says. Flavors like citrus, agave nectar, and peppers pair well with both liquors. You also can’t go wrong with salt and lime.
Since mezcal has a smokier flavor, it can add depth to cocktails typically associated with tequila, like a margarita or paloma.
The Paste Studio on the Road goes international this week, streaming live from Café No Sé in the beautiful city of Antigua, Guatemala, thanks to our friends at Ilegal Mezcal. We’ll be at the legendary mezcal bar and intimate music venue in the heart of the historic district on Thursday, Dec. 16, with performances from Gaby Moreno, El David Aguilar, Silvana Estrada, Lau Noah and SUSU.
The Bronx Brewery and Ilegal Mezcal announced a limited-release, mezcal margarita-inspired collab that brings the two NYC-based brands together to create a new kind of hard seltzer – Side Hustle Seltzerita, a 7% ABV hard seltzer bursts with grapefruit, lime and bravo hops, with bright mezcal flavor from aging with Ilegal oak staves.
The seltzer officially launches on May 7, with a joint event in The Bronx Brewery’s Backyard. Paying homage to both brands’ spiritual centers, the night will combine the unique experience from both The Backyard and Ilegal’s Café No Sé, in Guatemala. The musical lineup will feature DJ Mickey Perez, Jeremy Bosch Sextet and DJ Rich Kidd, along with special guests, food and drink activations and more.
“We have always been fans of Bronx Brewery at Ilegal, so we were immediately excited when they approached us about the collaboration,” said Kaylan Rexer, Chief Marketing Officer at Ilegal Mezcal. “There are so many crossovers in how both brands value music, art, and community. The can itself is a beautiful piece of artwork that represents the sharing of cultures. Plus, the product tastes delicious!”
“People are looking for quality products with authentic stories and transparency in brand values,” says Kaylan Rexer, the chief marketing officer at Ilegal Mezcal. “You don’t get a more hand-crafted, quality product than artisanal mezcal.”
As 2021 progresses, Rexer predicts a bright future for the mezcal category. “We see consumer interest in mezcal and in premium agave spirits continuing to grow in the coming years,” she says. “We are forecasting growth not just in our major markets but across the country. Mezcal will be a staple on every cocktail menu and off-premise retail shelf.”
Part of this will be integrating the spirit into classic, mezcal-friendly cocktails like the margarita and Paloma. To help propel the trend and encourage at-home engagement with the spirit, Ilegal recently introduced margarita kits for retail and e-commerce sales, and launched a direct-to-consumer website.
Brian Cox, Dewar’s VP of Marketing: “Ilegal Smooth is the first of its kind in terms of a mezcal finished blended Scotch whisky, and we wanted to use that moment to reflect the category’s progressive, new face while also inviting new whisky appreciators to discover this partnership.
It also showcased the commonalities between the founders of Ilegal Mezcal and Dewar’s Scotch whisky: having this passion for creating something new on an ambitious scale while delivering the very best ultra-premium smooth spirit. And Ilegal Mezcal is unique and special amongst Mezcals – a great product and wonderful brand too.”
“Oaxaca is known for mezcal—but it’s also known for chocolate, and they play wonderfully together. Hot chocolate is so comforting in the colder months, especially this holiday season when socially distanced gatherings are outside. Spicing it up with mezcal gives it a slight peppery and earthy element, which balances the richness and subtle sweetness of Organic Mixology’s dark chocolate and sea salt liqueur. Mr. Black’s single-origin coffee liqueur adds a little bitterness and a caffeine kick, while the orange bitters offers a dash of citrus to round out the cocktail. Twenty-twenty has been a rough year and I think everyone could use a hug.” —Claire Mallett, bartender at Catch One, Los Angeles
“This is a fun twist on classic michelada—with a touch yuzu and black pepper, it gives the drink a nice citrus and smoky note. It’s easy to make and also very easy to drink.” — GN Chan, founder at Double Chicken Please, New York City
Follow the link to see these recipes and more!