Mezcal Paloma
The classic Paloma reimagined with mezcal: smoky, earthy agave depth against tart grapefruit soda and bright lime.

Ingredients
- 2 oz mezcal
- 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
- Grapefruit soda, to top
- Salt for rimming
- Grapefruit wedge, to garnish
Instructions
- 1Rim a highball glass with salt and fill with ice.
- 2Add mezcal and lime juice.
- 3Top with grapefruit soda, stir gently, and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
Origin & Story
Once mezcal established itself as a cocktail spirit rather than just a sipping spirit, applying it to Mexico's most beloved cocktail template was inevitable. The Mezcal Paloma replaces tequila's grassy brightness with mezcal's smoke and earthiness, creating a fundamentally different drinking experience — more complex and regionally specific than its tequila counterpart.
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