TEQUILA IS OUT, MEZCAL IS IN – SAN DIEGO MIXOLOGISTS WEIGH IN ON THE LATEST SPIRIT TREND MAKING WAVES IN AMERICA’S FINEST CITY
Parq Restaurant and Nightclub, The Hake, La Puerta and Bottega Americano
Share Their Latest Mezcal Creations
San Diego, CA – San Diego’s top mixologists are trading in tequila and mixing up their spirit selection with mezcal, a well-crafted Mexican spirit that captures the flavor of dozens of different types of agave versus, only one used in the production of tequila. Recognized as one of 2015’s up-and-coming spirits, San Diego craft cocktail experts have embraced the trend and are among the first to widely incorporate mezcal in their daily offerings.
While often confused with tequila, experts claim that mezcal offers more flavor and complexity than tequila. With lower sugar content, mezcal provides a healthier beverage option and more refreshing morning after than tequila. In San Diego, the latest spirit trend provides new inspiration for the creation of fresh craft cocktails that Jeremy LeBlanc, Head Bartender of Parq Restaurant and Nightclub says can’t be mixed fast enough.
“More and more mixologists and bartenders are seeing San Diegans choose mezcal over tequila as their drink of choice,” continued LeBlanc. “In a city so dominated with tequila, mezcal is making its presence known, and literally mixing things up. It’s a bartenders dream come true, whether sipping or mixing, ‘on the rocks with salt’ is no longer the only way to enjoy a margarita.”
As mezcal gains prominence in San Diego, premium spirit brands such as Kimo Sabe Mezcal are choosing America’s Finest City as an exclusive brand launching point. The family-owned spirit company run by father-daughter team Jim and Ashley Walsh, bring years of experience in the agricultural production of food and drink flavors.
“When choosing where to first introduce Kimo Sabe, San Diego was a clear choice to launch. From its appreciation of Mexico’s culture and diverse flavors, to its embrace of the craft cocktail, and roster of established local talent – we knew that San Diego was ready for mezcal,” said Brand Manager Ashley Walsh.
The mezcal’s soft, creamy mouth feel and perfect flavor balance creates a new category of refined mezcal, unlike any of the old rustic mezcals. With its clean pure flavor and complex taste notes, Kimo Sabe can be enjoyed as an everyday sipping or mixing mezcal. Imported from the rich soils of Oaxaca, Mexico – Kimo Sabe, translated to “a trusted friend,” made its United States debut in March 2015 in San Diego bars, restaurants and nightclubs.
Parq Restaurant and Nightclub, La Puerta, The Hake and Bottega Americano are among a few of the popular San Diego locales that have adopted Kimo Sabe Mezcal due to its unique flavor profile. Cocktails debuting at restaurants throughout San Diego include:
Paul Revere
(Created by Jeremy LeBlanc & Kate Owca for La Puerta)
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Kimo Sabe Joven Mezcal
.5 oz. Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
.5 oz. Simple Syrup
1 oz. of Ballast Point Grapefruit Scuplin or your favorite IPA
Directions:
Shake all ingredients together except IPA, pour over ice in a mug and top with Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin.
Taste:
Tastes like a summer afternoon with citrus notes, lemon balm and piney floral with a long smooth finish giving a perfect hit of Vitamin C and vitamin M – mezcal.
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HorsePlay
(Created By Snake Oil Cocktails for Bottega Americano)
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Kimo Sabe Reposado
2 oz. Cold Brewed Coffee
.5 oz. Cinnamon – Vanilla Simple Syrup
.5 oz. Simple Syrup
Directions:
Add liquids to a Belgian tulip glass filled with ice. Stir well. Garnish with an edible purple pansy flower.
Taste:
A perfect brunch pairing with notes of caramel, vanilla and run raisin and antioxidant rich coffee to wake up the sleepiest Sunday.
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Hello Friend
(Created by Joan Villanueva, at The Hake for Kimo Sabe)
Ingredients:
2 oz Kimo Sabe Joven Mezcal
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
3-4 Sprigs of Thyme
1 oz Cucumber Juice
Directions:
Add all ingredients to shaker tin. Add ice and shake. Strain through tea strainer, then garnish with edible flower. For cucumber juice, process cucumber through juicer, if juicer is not available cucumber can be pureed in blender with a small amount of water.
Taste:
A refreshing and light cocktail with slight herbal notes from the thyme and the fresh grass notes of the joven mezcal leaving you with a warm energetic feeling.
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Your Trusted Friend Margarita
(Created by Jeremy LeBlanc for Kimo Sabe)
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Kimo Sabe Joven Mezcal
.5 oz. Cointreau
1.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
.5 oz Agave Nectar
Tajin
Directions:
In a shaker add ice, pinch of Tajin, lime juice, agave, Kimo Sabe Joven Mezcal, Cointreau and shake vigorously. Strain in a rimed Tajin tumbler glass on the rocks.
*For the Spicy Kimo Margarita muddle in 2-3 slices of serrano chili
Taste:
A bright fresh margarita with a new twist of mezcal lending notes of smoked chipotle with a sweet peppery agave finish creating a modern elegant taste to an old cocktail. Why Settle for Tequila?
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ABOUT KIMO SABE MEZCAL
Kimo Sabe Mezcal, translated to ” a trusted friend” is a premium family-crafted artisan Mezcal imported from the rich soils of Oaxaca, Mexico. The family owned spirit company is run by father-daughter team Jim and Ashley Walsh, who bring years of experience in the agricultural production of food and drink flavors. Jim and Ashley Walsh oversee every step of Kimo Sabe production – from the cultivation of agave plants in Oaxaca, Mexico through its family-crafted artisan distillation process and all the way to consumers’ tables, providing a new ultra premium Mezcal taste and quality. The mezcal’s soft, creamy mouth feel and perfect flavor balance creates a new category of refined mezcal, unlike any of the old rustic mezcals. With its clean pure flavor and complex taste notes, Kimo Sabe can be enjoyed as an everyday sipping or mixing mezcal. Why settle for tequila? Step up to Kimo Sabe.
