Mezcal Thai Old Fashioned Recipe

This post is going to show you how to make a unique Thai Old Fashioned with Mezcal!

An Old Fashioned is a very classic cocktail with the base typically being bourbon or rye whiskey. To this you would add a sweetener, bitters, stir it up, and serve it over a cube of ice! A very simple build leaves lots of room for creative renditions.

This recipe is an original Sweet Recipe of mine that I created for a friends birthday! She loves Thai food and Mezcal, so I wanted to incorporate some of those flavors into a tasty cocktail. This Thai old fashioned will highlight notes of lemongrass, cinnamon, star anise, thai basil, and smoke from the Mezcal.

A refreshingly light sip that I know you will all enjoy! Let’s get right into it, I call this:

“Take out for Jules”

What You Will Need

Alcohol:

For this Thai old fashioned the main spirit we will be using is Mezcal! I chose to use Ilegal Reposado for this recipe. I wanted something smokey that also had a little aged depth to its flavor. I love Ilegal because it is smooth and is a great option to make cocktails with. Ilegal is a great intro mezcal for those looking to branch out into the mezcal world!

What enhances the mezcal in this recipe is the fact that it is infused with lemongrass! Lemongrass is a plant that contains citral. This gives it a very bright citrus flavor that is similar to lemon. Lemongrass also holds numerous health benefits and is often used in soups and tea! This addition to our Thai old fashioned brightens the flavor of the mezcal and gives the cocktail a unique twist.

Infusing this spirit with lemongrass is very easy! I infuse my spirits in mason jars, but please use whatever container you like! Just make sure it is air tight. I used 2 whole chopped up stems of lemongrass and dropped them into 12 oz of mezcal. I left this mixture sitting for about 3 weeks. Make sure to taste every week to see how the infusion is coming along!

Once you really taste that flavor, strain out the pieces of lemongrass and store in a airtight container with your other spirits in your home bar! Infusing spirits is a fun way to start elevating some tasting notes in your cocktails. Definitely get experimental and have fun!

Other Ingredients:

This Thai old fashioned gets a lot of its flavor from the Cinnamon & Star Anise Simple Syrup that will be getting stirred in! These flavors compliment not only the mezcal, but the light notes of lemongrass that you will be tasting from the infusion.  Simple syrup is more than simple to whip up! Adding in flavors such as fresh cinnamon and star anise is VERY easy as well.

Simple syrups can range in sweetness, but for this recipe we will be keeping the ratio very simple at 1:1. This means one part hot water, to one part white sugar. Make as little or as much as you want! Once the simple syrup is made you can keep it in your fridge for up to a month!

• In a pot on the stove add in desired amount of water.
• Once the water is at a slight boil, turn down the heat a bit and add in equal parts white sugar.
• Stir mixture slowly until all the sugar is dissolved and you have a syrup like consistency.
• Add in sticks of cinnamon and star anise.
• Keep stirring mixture for a minute or two and then take off of the heat.
• Let mixture sit for 30 minutes to an hour with cinnamon sticks and star anise steeping.
• Once syrup has sit and has cooled, strain it into a container of choice and keep in fridge!

I love to store my fresh juices and syrups in olive oil bottles like shown in the photo above! They are easy to store, easy to pour, and add a professional aspect to your home bar! I actually found a really cool set on Amazon that comes with bottles, labels, pour spouts and more! I will link it RIGHT HERE!

Another fresh ingredient that really brings the whole cocktail together is Thai Basil. This is a delicious fresh herb that can sometimes be tricky to find. I know for a fact I will be buying seeds for next season so I can plant this and have as much as I want! Thai basil is unique, and has flavors of licorice and pepper. This really ties all of our flavor profiles for this Thai old fashioned together. This ingredient will be added in as garnish.

When adding a fresh herb as garnish always remember to either clap it between your hands or slap it on the back of your hand to “wake it up”. This will release aromas and fill your nose with delicious flavor before you take your first sip. In the photo above you can see that after I woke up the thai basil, I ran it around the rim of the glass to really make sure I got that delicious scent everywhere!

Bar Supplies:

The first items you will want to have on deck to create this Thai old fashioned will be a Mixing Glass and a Bar spoon! We will be stirring this cocktail in a mixing glass to give it a full, upfront, and bold flavor! When stirring a cocktail in a mixing glass, you will be diluting it less than shaking it would. This helps the spirit remain strong and gives the cocktail almost a silky texture. You can check out a mixing glass just like mine right HERE!

Using a bar spoon is a fun technique to use and a great step to learn if you are a beginner. As you can see in the photo above, I let the bar spoon rest between my middle and ring finger of my dominant hand. I guide the spoon around in circles with my thumb as the spoon is balanced by my index finger. I always like to have the bottom of the spoon facing outwards towards the glass. This helps me get a smooth rhythm going while I stir! You will be able to pick this up in no time, just remember to let the glass guide you! You can check out a bar spoon just like mine right HERE!

The next item you will want to have is a Jigger! A jigger is a staple for any bar, and should definitely be one in your home bar! The key to a great cocktail is balance, consistency, and a beautiful presentation. This can all be attained by using a jigger! A jigger is what you use to measure the liquid ingredients going into your cocktail. My jigger in the photo above ranges from 1/4 oz to 2 oz. Check out one identical to mine right HERE!

If you’re looking for a simplified beginner jigger I have just the one for you. It only has one side, very clear measurement lines, and a little pour spout! I used this when I was just starting out and it really helped me gain confidence behind the bar. I will attach the exact jigger I used to use right HERE!

Since we are using a mixing glass for our cocktail we will need a Julep Strainer! The julep strainer tucks easily into the top of the mixing glass to hold back all of the ice as you pour your cocktail into your glassware. Make sure you have a firm grip on your mixing glass with your thumb as you hover above your delicate glass. If you want a julep strainer just like mine check out this link RIGHT HERE!

You will also want to have a Y-peeler for another crucial step in this build! A y-peeler will be able to get you a nice thick cut of citrus. In this case we will be needing a nicely sized lemon peel to spritz this Thai old fashioned. In the photo above you can see I am squeezing the peel in half with the outside of the peel facing downwards towards the top of the cocktail. The spritz of lemon will lead you into your first sip with a nose full of citrus. This will enhance the lemongrass, cinnamon, star anise, and thai basil! You can get a Y-peeler at almost any grocery or cooking store. You can also check out the same one I use right HERE! Just remember to be careful! These things are sharp!

I also must mention that you will need ICE. Lots of people have fridges with an ice dispenser which is perfect for you to use. Alas, if you do not have accessible fridge ice, AKA ME, you will have to freeze your own! I use a silicone perfect ice cube tray. You can find an identical one that comes with a LID right HERE! I am lucky enough to have a cocktail store near me as well that  carries perfect ice in every size but that is not always the most affordable option. I would still suggest you check if any such stores exist near your location! Although a little more pricey, definitely worth it in quality!!!

If you’re interested in large square ice cube molds you can check out an excellent option right HERE!

I do recommend that if you are starting to create multiple cocktails at home, you should invest in your own personal Bartending Kit. Most come with everything you will need as a beginner while others provide several items for more complex creations. I will put links to both a beginners set, and a more advanced set on Amazon below!

Beginners Kit : HERE

Advanced Kit : HERE

Let’s Build!