It’s rare that I see raspberries used in cocktails. Which is odd, because they’re so delicious and flavorful. They’re also such a beautiful and striking color. Who wouldn’t want that in a beverage? So I decided to make one. It’s a raspberry thyme mezcal sour, and man is it good. It’s sweet, sour, smoky, herbaceous, and perfectly balanced. When I gave this to my husband to try, he said he’d happily pay $20 for one at a fancy cocktail bar. $20 for a drink is pretty steep, so I consider that a win.
What’s mezcal?
If you’ve never had mezcal before, you’re in for a treat. Mezcal is a Mexican spirit made from agave. There are various different kinds of mezcal, but generally speaking it’s smoky, earthy, and sometimes fruity. That’s why I thought it would pair beautifully with the sweet and sour fruits used in this cocktail.
What’s in this drink?
This recipe does ask you to make a raspberry thyme simple syrup. Other than that, though, it’s extremely simple. Mezcal, lime juice, angostura bitters, and an egg white or a little bit of aquafaba (juice from a can of chickpeas). And honestly, the raspberry thyme simple syrup is pretty easy to make. How is it done? Well, it just requires you to simmer a cup of sugar, a cup of water, a cup of fresh raspberries, and a couple sprigs of thyme for about 10 minutes. At this point, the sugar should have dissolved, and the raspberries and thyme will have flavored the syrup. Let it cool, then strain it through a fine mesh sieve and into your container of choice. You’ll end up with way more than you need for a single drink, but you can store it in the fridge for a week or two. Doing this will make it way easier to make this drink on demand during that timeframe!
Are you a visual learner?
Check out this quick recipe video!
So how do I make this drink?
Once you’ve made your simple syrup, add that and all the rest of your ingredients to a cocktail shaker with some ice. Shake vigorously for about a minute, or until the outside of the shaker starts looking frosty. Then pour into a glass, and enjoy! You also have the option of lighting a sprig of thyme on fire and then covering it with your glass (before adding the liquid to it, obviously) to intensify the smoky taste. That’s totally not required, but I’d recommend it because it’s fun.
I personally liked this with an enormous ice cube (I love a really cold drink), but since it’ll already be cool from the shaking, it’s not fully necessary. As always, you do you.
Thyme smoking tip:
If you plan on smoking a sprig of thyme for this drink, you might want to try drying it out a bit first. You can do this with a dehydrator, in the oven (170° Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes should do the trick), or simply by leaving it in a sunny spot on the counter for a day. I also found a post about how to do it in the microwave! The thyme doesn’t need to be fully dried out, but it definitely helps to reduce the moisture somewhat.
Raspberry Thyme Mezcal Sour
Ingredients
Raspberry Thyme Simple Syrup
- 1 cup Raspberries
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 cup Water
- 3 sprigs Thyme
Raspberry Thyme Mezcal Sour
- 1 oz Raspberry thyme simple syrup
- 1 oz Lime juice Freshly squeezed is always best
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 2 oz Mezcal
- 1/2 oz Egg white or aquafaba Optional, but will give you a nice foam top
Optional Garnishes
- Lime
- Raspberry
- Angostura bitters (1-2 dashes)
- Thyme sprig
Instructions
- Make the raspberry thyme simple syrup. To do this, add all ingredients (raspberries, thyme sprigs, sugar and water) to a small saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes, at which point the sugar should be fully dissolved, and the syrup nicely infused with raspberry and thyme. Remove from heat and let cool, then strain through a fine mesh sieve into your container of choice.
- If smoking thyme for this cocktail, take a dried(ish) sprig of thyme and light it on fire. Then trap it with whatever glass you'll be using for this drink (just put the glass rim side down over it) and let it burn up and fill the glass with smoke. Lift the glass when you're ready to pour your drink into it!
- Now make your cocktail. To do this, add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, along with a couple handfuls of ice. Shake vigorously for about a minute, or until the shaker starts to look and feel frosty. Then pour into your glass of choice (a rocks glass if serving with ice, or a coupe if serving without), garnish, and enjoy!
So simple, right? I know this mezcal sour is going to be a go-to cocktail in my household, and I hope it becomes one in yours, too. As always, if you make this, I really hope you love it. Let me know what you think in the comments or on Instagram! And don’t forget to tag me if you share a photo. It truly makes my day when I get to see your beautiful creations.
Looking for more cocktails? Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I’ll share my favorite mushy, romantic ones. My love potion cocktail is always popular around this time of year. It’s made with gin, strawberry and hibiscus tea. Or if you’re looking for something a bit subtler, try this lavender sage gin sour.
