Sober October just got a lot more interesting. St. Agrestis yesterday announced that it will soon release a Phony Mezcal Negroni, a variation on their non-alcoholic hit the Phony Negroni. The new bottled mocktail, if you will, changes out the flavor of gin for the Negroni’s cult offshoot, the usually smoky Oaxacan liquor mezcal.
Versions of mezcal Negronis started popping up more than a decade ago, as mixologists and bartenders began to sub out the botanical flavors of gin with the more aggressive mezcal, which is distilled from agave that gets roasted in an underground pit, instilling smokiness. The contrast between mezcal, the bitter Campari, and sweet vermouth has made the mezcal Negroni a fixture on cocktail bar menus as well as at places like Baby Luc’s in Brooklyn, which pairs the drink with Mark Iacono’s thick slice pizza.
In a release announcing the new Phony Mezcal Negroni, St. Agrestis owner Louis Catizone says, “I have two obsessions in the spirits world: amaro and mezcal. I’ve been captivated by mezcal since it first started gaining popularity here in the United States, and during visits to Oaxaca, I gained as much respect for mezcal as I have for amaro. With consideration for mezcal’s heritage, we worked carefully to mimic its characteristics and unique flavor profile, without alcohol. We could not be more elated to be able to offer a non-alcoholic cocktail that combines our Italian-inspired roots with our adoration of mezcal.”
The Phony Mezcal Negroni is the third non-alcoholic offering from the Brooklyn distiller, which also makes alcoholic drinks including amari and the “St. Agrestis Negroni Fountain,” which promises 20 cocktails per box. Besides the original Phony Negroni, St. Agrestis earlier this year released the non-alcoholic Amaro Falso, which we featured in Appetito’s guide, “Non-Alcoholic Italian-Style Drinking is Having a Moment.”
The St. Agrestis Phony Mezcal Negroni is available for pre-order as a 12-pack for $59.99 and will be shipping in mid-October.
