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Smoky Margarita served in a rocks glass over crushed ice with a smoked salt rim and garnished with a lime wheel.

Smoky Margarita

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Equal parts mezcal and reposado tequila with fresh lime and maple syrup — smoky, earthy, and bright with a smoked salt rim that ties it all together.

This cocktail is part of our Date Nite collection, made to be sipped while you cook together.​

COCKTAIL RECIPE

Makes 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz mezcal
1 1/2 oz reposado tequila
1 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz maple syrup
2 to 3 dashes Angostura bitters
Smoked salt, for the rim
Lime wheel, for garnish

Rim a rocks glass with smoked salt and fill it with fresh ice. Add the mezcal, reposado tequila, lime juice, maple syrup, and bitters to a shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with a lime wheel.

NOTES FROM THE BAR

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Balancing Spirits

This recipe uses equal parts mezcal and reposado tequila. For more smoke, increase the mezcal slightly; for a smoother sip, lean heavier on the reposado.


Maple Syrup Swap

Maple syrup brings warmth and body. Agave nectar can be used as a lighter, more traditional alternative.


Bitters Boost

Angostura bitters add depth and complexity. Don’t skip them. They round out the cocktail beautifully.


Cocktail Glue

For a perfect salt or sugar rim, try a small batch of flavored cocktail glue. Mix 3/4 oz Cointreau, 2 tsp agave or honey, and a small pinch of citric acid in a small jar. Brush it onto the rim with a dedicated kitchen brush (a flat paintbrush or pastry brush works well), then apply your salt or sugar. It’s shelf-stable and keeps in your pantry or bar cabinet for future use.


Salt Rim Options

Smoked salt enhances the mezcal’s earthiness. If you can’t find it, use sea salt mixed with a pinch of smoked paprika or you can order it online ⟶ Maldon Smoked Sea Salt


Glassware

We like this one in a double old fashioned glass with a big ice cube, but any sturdy rocks glass will work.

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JUST RELEASED

30 OF OUR MOST-LOVED COCKTAILS, GATHERED INTO ONE COLLECTION

Cover of A Cocktail Collection by Kevin & Kate Carr, showing a fig cocktail garnished with thyme in a coupe on a black background, with the subtitle 30 Cocktails Worth Making Again.

A COCKTAIL COLLECTION

30 COCKTAILS WORTH MAKING AGAIN

The cocktails we come back to most, gathered into one beautiful PDF, with six new recipes created exclusively for the collection.

80 pages · 24 favorites · 6 exclusive recipes · 13 house-made components

Instant download 

A RITUAL WE RETURN TO

Our cocktails are part of something bigger for us. They’re the beginning of Date Nite, a connection-centered experience we created to help you slow down, share a meal, and enjoy time with the one you love.

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Each Date Nite is thoughtfully planned for you, so you are not stuck deciding what to cook or how to pull the night together. We pair one cocktail with a complete menu, a simple flow from prep to plate, and small details that make the evening feel easy and connected from start to finish.

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It is not about perfection. It is about presence, and creating space to reconnect, whether that is with your partner or simply with yourself, over a really good meal.

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WE CREATED THIS FOR YOU AND THE ONE YOU LOVE
Kevin & Kate

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