Sassy Flower (Hibiscus-Rosemary Mezcal Cocktail) Recipe

By
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a longtime food and drink expert whose recipes and cocktail-making tips can be found on her newsletters What to Drink and The Dinner Plan. She is the author of  The One-Bottle Cocktail and Batch Cocktails, both published by Ten Speed Press.
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Updated May 28, 2019
OneBottleCocktail_Sassy-Flower-edit
Photograph: © Kelly Puleio 2018, resized for publication

Why It Works

  • Tangy hibiscus tea is steeped with fresh rosemary, adding a piney flavor that draws out the woodsy side of mezcal.
  • If you prep the syrup early and stash it in your fridge, finishing this one-bottle drink is a snap.

New York bartender Alan Ruesga-Pelayo grew up in Mexico enjoying his mother's and grandmother's homemade aguas frescas. His favorite was always the hibiscus-flavored version, agua de jamaica, which inspired this drink.

Reprinted with permission from by Maggie Hoffman, copyright © 2018. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.The One-Bottle Cocktail: More Than 80 Recipes With Fresh Ingredients and a Single Spirit

Recipe Details

Sassy Flower (Hibiscus-Rosemary Mezcal Cocktail) Recipe

Active 3 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 1 drink

Ingredients

For the Hibiscus-Rosemary Syrup:

  • 2 hibiscus tea bags, such as Traditional Medicinals

  • 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, divided

  • 1 cup boiling water

  • 1 1/2 cups (300g) sugar

For the Cocktail:

  • 2 ounces mezcal (60ml)

  • 1 ounce fresh lemon juice (30ml)

  • 3/4 ounce Hibiscus-Rosemary Syrup

Directions

  1. For the Hibiscus-Rosemary Syrup: Steep tea bags and 1 rosemary sprig in boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain into a heatproof container with a tight-fitting lid, then add sugar and stir or shake until dissolved. Let cool, then refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

  2. For the cocktail: Combine mezcal, lemon juice, and hibiscus-rosemary syrup in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake until well chilled, about 12 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with the remaining rosemary sprig.

Special equipment

Electric kettle (optional), Mason jar, cocktail shaker set, strainer

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
165Calories
0gFat
17gCarbs
0gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories165
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 14mg1%
Total Carbohydrate 17g6%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 12mg60%
Calcium 3mg0%
Iron 0mg0%
Potassium 34mg1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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