Division Bell
Mezcal, Aperol and maraschino — smoke wrapped in bitter citrus.
The Method
How to make it
- 01
Chill a coupe.
- 02
Shake mezcal, Aperol, maraschino and lime juice hard with ice for 12 seconds.
- 03
Double-strain into the chilled coupe.
- 04
Float a thin lime wheel on the surface.
Bartender's Tip
Maraschino is aggressive — half an ounce is the ceiling. Overpour it and the drink tastes like cherry cough drops with a campfire behind them.
A Little History
Phil Ward created the Division Bell at Mayahuel in New York, riffing on the Last Word template with mezcal in place of gin and Aperol in place of Chartreuse. It became the drink that taught a generation of bartenders that smoke and bitter aperitivo belong together.
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The Bitter Brief
One short Friday dispatch: a bottle worth buying, a cocktail worth mixing, and a little Italian history.
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