The Specs
- Ilegal Mezcal1 oz (30ml)
- Jack Daniels1 oz (30ml)
- Aperol1/2 oz (15ml)
- Angostura Bitters1-2 dashes
- GarnishOrange peel
The Method
Combine spirits and bitters in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir at a steady 32spm (strokes per minute) for approximately 30 seconds – a pace that any indoor rower will recognise as the sweet spot between power and precision.
Strain over a large cube. Catch an orange peel and garnish with intention.
The Taste Journey
Each sip tells a story: The first impression brings Ilegal Mezcal’s refined smoke, not as an assault but as an invitation. As the drink opens up, Jack Daniels layers in its characteristic vanilla and caramel warmth, while Aperol weaves through with bitter-orange complexity.
The finish returns to that initial smoke, now mellowed and mysterious, leaving you contemplating your next sip.
The Creation
Born from the unlikely marriage of Mexican spirits and Tennessee whiskey, elevated by Italian aperitif tradition, RowAlong’s Smoking Jacket emerged from a quest to create something truly unique. This isn’t just another mezcal cocktail – it’s a precisely calibrated experience that brings together smoke, sweetness, and sophistication in perfect harmony.
If you’ve watched enough of my RowAlong workouts, you’ll know that I’m not really a drinker. I like to take long periods of ‘dry time’. But that’s not to say I never touch the stuff. I’ve always liked sipping on an “Old Fashioned” when out for a relaxed night with Julie. And recently, I switched from Whisky to Mezcal.
For Christmas 2024, Julie bought me a bottle of Ilegal Mezcal, and I started trying to create something special at home with my other favourite – Jack Daniel’s.
The result, was a lot of fun to create! A dash of inspriation, a bit of research for tastes, and a few nights trialing the best quantities. But I think the recipe above is tasty enough to spread around.
So next time you’re in a cocktail, ask them for RowAlong’s Smoking Jacket – and point them to this page.
And if I meet you randomly in a bar somewhere, it’s on me.
This cocktail was born on the ergometer, where precision meets power, where splits are measured in seconds and effort in strokes.
Drink mindfully, row powerfully, and remember: good form matters in both.
© 2024 RowAlong.com