This is our Mexico-inspired twist on a classic cocktail called the Bee’s Knees, a light and refreshing drink made with gin, lemon, and honey syrup. The Killer Bee replaces the gin with mezcal, a smokier and more aggressive spirit (hence the more aggressive cocktail name). It’s a great way to kick off a meal.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 1 cocktail

　　1 1⁄2 ounces honey

　　2 ounces mezcal, such as Del Maguey Vida brand

　　1 1⁄2 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

　　

Step 1

To make a honey syrup, in a small bowl or jar, combine the honey with 1 1⁄2 ounces water.

　　

Step 2

In a cocktail shaker, combine the mezcal, lemon juice, and 3⁄4 ounce of the honey syrup(save the remaining honey syrup for another cocktail). Fill the shaker three-quarters of theway with ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds if serving on the rocks or 15 seconds ifserving “up.” Strain into an ice-filled double old-fashioned glass or bucket glass, or serveup with no ice.

　　From Nopalito: A Mexican Kitchen by Gonzalo Guzmán with Stacy Adimando, copyright © 2017. Reprinted with permission by Ten Speed Press.Buy the full book from Amazon.