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Cocktail History
The Hot Lips is a modern cocktail that was created in 2009 by Jessica Gonzalez at Death & Company in New York City, New York. Although the recipe includes citrus, it uniquely stirs instead of shakes it along with the other ingredients, including spicy jalapeño tequila, mezcal, pineapple, vanilla syrup, and cane syrup to create a cocktail that feels like a Margarita.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Jalapeño Tequila: This is a spirit made with jalapeño peppers, unaged agave, and water. We used Dulce Vida Spirits Organic Tequila Blanco infused with jalapeño peppers. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Agave Blanco Spirit infused with jalapeño pepper in place of the tequila.
Mezcal: This is a spirit made in Mexico with agave, sugar, and alcohol that is aged in an underground pit lined with wood. We used Del Maguey Vida Mezcal because it has a palatable mezcal flavor with notes of ginger, cinnamon, and tangerine. For a mocktail version of this drink, try MONDAY Zero Alcohol Mezcal in place of the mezcal.
Pineapple Juice: This is the liquid juice of a pineapple. We used fresh pineapple juice.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Vanilla Syrup: This is a sweetener made with vanilla pods, sugar, and water. We also made this syrup using Alex’s recipe.
Cane Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white cane sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s recipe.
Salt: This is a mineral. We used Maldon Sea Salt Flakes.
Lime Slice: This is a slice of lime that has been cut into a half wheel shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. We used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. We used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.
Chef’s Knife: This is used to cut larger fruits and vegetables into slices for the garnish. We used the OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife.
Pineapple Corer: This is used to remove the core of the pineapple before it’s juiced. We used the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus, fruits, and vegetables. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer for the citrus and the Hamilton Beach Large Juicer for the pineapple.
Tasting Notes
The Hot Lips starts with light aromas of pineapple and mezcal, has a salt-tamed taste with pineapple front and center backed by the mezcal’s smokiness and a tingling spiciness, and ends with a lingering earthy mezcal finish accompanied by vanilla.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We both really enjoyed this drink and its combination of different flavors. While a classic spicy Margarita might be a little easier to handle for many palates, the complexity offered by the Hot Lips definitely makes it worth a try.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This cocktail seems to be a sort of lovechild of a spicy Margarita and a tiki drink, and in my mind, it succeeded at being both. The jalapeño tequila pulled a lot of weight, giving the drink’s name its rightful place; meanwhile, the mezcal offered a touch of smokiness on the back of the rest of the flavors. Finally, pineapple is showcased to give the recipe a sweet, tropical feel, but the finish is complex and inviting of another sip. It was all quite good.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“This recipe reminded me a lot of our Smoky Pineapple Margarita from last summer, just with a spicy pepper twist. Admittedly, our jalapeño tequila was a bit too strong so it overpowered the other ingredients quite a bit, but that aside, this is a delicious drink. The vanilla was an interesting addition that did add some sweetness and a unique aftertaste I wasn’t expecting. This one’s worth a try, I’d say! I just liked our mezcal Margarita more.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Mezcal + Tequila Cocktails: Mixed Drinks for the Golden Age of Agave by Robert Simonson.
![Mezcal and Tequila Cocktails: Mixed Drinks for the Golden Age of Agave [A Cocktail Recipe Book]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41ci0Phiq7L._SL75_.jpg)
Pour salt onto a plate, rub outer rim of a lowball glass with lime slice, and roll glass in salt until coated.
Add tequila, mezcal, pineapple juice, lime juice, vanilla syrup, cane syrup, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.
Stir for 30-45 seconds.
Strain into salt-rimmed lowball glass.
Ingredients
Directions
Pour salt onto a plate, rub outer rim of a lowball glass with lime slice, and roll glass in salt until coated.
Add tequila, mezcal, pineapple juice, lime juice, vanilla syrup, cane syrup, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.
Stir for 30-45 seconds.
Strain into salt-rimmed lowball glass.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Agave Blanco Spirit infused with jalapeño pepper in place of the tequila and MONDAY Zero Alcohol Mezcal in place of the mezcal to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Mezcal Cocktails
If you like this mezcal-based cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Quick Step: A mezcal cocktail made with blanc vermouth, jalapeño tequila, and crème de pêche
Spaghetti Western: A tequila reposado cocktail made with Amaro Nonino, mezcal, orange bitters, and a grapefruit twist
Cocoa Smoke: A mezcal cocktail made with white crème de cacao, ancho chile liqueur, chocolate bitters, and an orange twist
Smoke & Ice: A mezcal cocktail made with pineapple-infused Campari, sweet vermouth, and dark chocolate shavings
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