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Smoke gets in your drink: Mezcal is having its moment and you should enjoy it

In case you hadn't noticed, mezcal is having a moment. The once misunderstood Mexican spirit has seeped into the mainstream at a pace that has revved up in recent years, riding a craft-cocktail wave that has seen imbibers clamor for more and better ingredients.

For a spirit that at one time was known mostly as "that bottle with the worm in it," this cousin of tequila has not only come a long way, but, it turns out, is way more interesting: a markedly smoky concoction that rewarded early adopters with broad (and wormless) expressions deriving from its ability to be cultivated from a range of Mexican agave plants. (Tequila, on the other hand, can only come from blue agave.)

The plants' hearts are roasted in pit ovens prior to fermentation, producing the spirit's smoky influence that for many first-timers presents a line in the sand. But the days when mezcal cocktails were found only in mixology dens are over; I knew the U.S. had reached a milestone when, several years ago, I saw a mezcal-tinged cocktail appear on the menu at P.F. Chang's. Now you'll find mezcal cocktails everywhere from Pappasito's to Frisco's 3 Stacks Smoke and Tap House.

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"It's just a great way to introduce mezcal to people who haven't had it or think it's too intense in other cocktails." -- Bartender Moses Guidry, of Twenty Seven's Smoke Ring cocktail

Many of those drinks, like the ones first rolled out even in craft-cocktail bars, have eased mezcal onto unfamiliar palates by placing it alongside tequila, like a kid brother riding sidecar. But luckily for Dallas, drinks putting mezcal front and center are getting easier and easier to find.

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Here are some of my favorites thus far in 2015.

BENITO JUAREZ, Mexican Sugar, The Shops at Legacy (pictured above)

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In Oaxaca, where most mezcal is produced, the traditional way of consuming the artisan spirit is in small cups flanked by orange wedges and a spice mix of sea salt, crushed chilies and the toasted, ground-up remains of moth larvae that feed on the agave plant. The combo is a mouth-pleasing explosion of smoke, citrus, heat, nuttiness and saltiness - and Plano's Mexican Sugar honors the tradition with this excellent blend (named after Mexico's beloved former president) of mezcal, chipotle puree, orange, lime, honey and orange liqueur, slapped with a splotch of imported sal de gusano.

Origin's Mexican Martini: A fine example of how well agave spirits and Yellow Chartreuse...
Origin's Mexican Martini: A fine example of how well agave spirits and Yellow Chartreuse play together.(Marc Ramirez)

MEXICAN MARTINI, Origin Kitchen and Bar, Knox-Henderson

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Alas, this one is no longer on the menu here, but ask for it and you might get lucky. Agave spirits and herbal Yellow Chartreuse liqueur are swell buddies and play nice here in Laura Ball's south-of-the-border creation, along with lemon, agave, jalapeno and apricot liqueur. It's sweet and piquant, tantalizing you with its boozy charms before fading away in a haze of spice and smoke.

Doing things the Old-Fashioned way is a muy bueno approach for mezcal.
Doing things the Old-Fashioned way is a muy bueno approach for mezcal.(Marc Ramirez)

MEZCAL OLD-FASHIONED, Henry's Majestic, Knox-Henderson

Hector Zavala has learned a thing or two in his many years as a bar back for luminaries such as 86 Co. co-founder Jason Kosmas, not the least of which that the classic Old Fashioned packs a kick in any language. Now bartending at the one-two punch of Henry's Majestic and Atwater Alley, the Torreon, Mexico-born Zavala subs Wahaka mezcal for whiskey with a bit of agave syrup and bitters, and his handiwork lets the spirit announce itself like a poncho'd Clint Eastwood waltzing through your whistle's saloon doors.

More layers than an enchilada casserole: Mr. Brown Goes to Oaxaca takes you places.
More layers than an enchilada casserole: Mr. Brown Goes to Oaxaca takes you places.(Marc Ramirez)

MR. BROWN GOES TO OAXACA, Tate's, Uptown

Mixmaster Creighten Brown's deceivingly demure doozy may look like a mere wallflower in its occasionally raucous surroundings, but it'll impress your taste buds with its flavorful gift of gab. (If you don't particularly like the name, you can blame that on me.) Supplementing mezcal with bittersweet Grand Poppy, dry vermouth, Hellfire bitters and chocolate bitters, Brown's off-menu creation cuts through the smoke with floral and citrus swirls while the bitters offer lingering complexity.

Mezcal boldly cuts in for Peruvian brandy in Twenty Seven's weekends-only tipple.
Mezcal boldly cuts in for Peruvian brandy in Twenty Seven's weekends-only tipple.(Marc Ramirez)
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SMOKE RING, Twenty Seven, Deep Ellum

At recently opened Twenty Seven, Moses Guidry's frothy Smoke Ring is essentially a mezcal Pisco Sour, subbing the smoky spirit for tamer Peruvian brandy alongside tequila, simple syrup, lime, cucumber, egg white and a sprinkling of Peychaud's bitters. "It's just a great way to introduce mezcal to people who haven't had it or think it's too intense in other cocktails," says Guidry, who'll you find behind the bar on Saturdays.

Remember that scene in True Romance where Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper face off?...
Remember that scene in True Romance where Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper face off? This is that scene in a cocktail.(Marc Ramirez)

TRUE ROMANCE, Black Swan Saloon, Deep Ellum

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At this no-frills neighborhood fixture, Gabe Sanchez's riveting play on the Copper Cocktail gives mezcal the starring role over rum with a supporting cast of herbal Yellow Chartreuse, bitter Averna, lime and a bit of Szechuan pepper tincture. While the mixture might sound overpowering, the end result nicely shapes the best of each ingredient into something unique and memorable.