Prediction:Mezcal breaks through.
Why now:The smoky liquor, distilled from the fermented pulp of pit-roasted agave plants, is primarily made by boutique operations in Oaxacan villages, which means that unlike, say, Jose Cuervo, its manufacturers lack the funds for aggressive marketing. No matter.Casa Mezcal,Mayahuel, andEmpellón Cocinaare beating the drums loud and clear; it’s only a matter of time before others follow suit.
Order this:the Vida Old-Fashioned atthe Dutch(131 Sullivan St., nr. Prince St; 212-677-6200), made with mezcal, agave-cardamom syrup, vanilla bitters, and a twist of orange.
Prediction:Cognac shows its softer side.
Why now:The comeback brandy broke sales records last year, but is still plagued by its bipolar rep as the straight-from-the-bottle choice of both rappers and Wall Streeters. That may give way this fall, though, as bartenders show off its mixable side in cocktails.
Order this:the Vieux Carré atWeather Up(159 Duane St., nr. W. Broadway; 212-766-3202), made with Landy VS cognac, rye whiskey, and sweet vermouth, and served in a glass rinsed with herbal Bénédictine liqueur.
Prediction:Cocktails get bottled/drafted.
Why now:Pre-batching mixes saves harried bartenders time, and when bottled, they’re silly-fun to drink.Booker and Daxandthe Dailyboth bottle cocktails, whileGin PalaceandSaxon + Paroleserve their prefab mixes on tap.
Order this:the L’Américain at theExperimental Cocktail Club(191 Chrystie St., nr. Stanton St.; no phone), made with artichoke-infused sweet vermouth, walnut-infused Campari, thyme water, and orange oils. The batch is carbonized, bottled, and served with a straw.
The experts:Matty Clark ofSilver Lining, John deBary ofPDTandMomofuku, Nicolas de Soto ofExperimental Cocktail Club, Hayden Felice ofCraftbar, Danny Gil ofWeather Up, Rainlove Lampariello ofthe Standard, and Josh Nadel ofthe Dutch.
This story appeared in the August 27, 2012 issue ofNew York Magazine.
