Dr. Feel Good

What Is the Dr. Feel Good?

Dr. Feel Good is a complex, savory-leaning mezcal sour created by Leo Robitschek in New York City. Del Maguey Minero Single Village Mezcal meets fino sherry, avocado syrup, Suze, fresh lemon, génépy and a spicy agave syrup, with an Aleppo-chile salt rim and cucumber garnish.

It reads like a cocktail-bar tasting menu in one glass: creamy avocado richness, saline sherry, alpine herbs and gentian bitterness, gentle heat and Minero’s round, fruity smoke. Every sip reveals a different layer.

This is the drink for adventurous palates — proof of how far mezcal can travel beyond citrus-and-agave templates while staying refreshing and balanced.

BY LEO ROBITSCHEK — NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

• 1 ounce Del Maguey Minero Single Village Mezcal
• 3⁄4 ounce fino sherry
• 3⁄4 ounce avocado syrup (recipe below)
• 1⁄2 ounce Suze Gentian Aperitif
• 1⁄2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1⁄4 ounce génépy liqueur
• 1⁄4 ounce spicy agave syrup (recipe below)
• 1 cucumber slice, for garnish
• Aleppo chile, for rimming the glass
• Salt, for rimming the glass

Combine all the ingredients, except the garnish and rimming ingredients, in a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake. Strain into a double rocks glass that has been rimmed with Aleppo chile and salt. Garnish with the cucumber slice. 

AVOCADO SYRUP Dissolve 2 cups sugar in 1 cup water in a large bowl. Combine with 2 cups of cubed avocado and 2 cups freshly squeezed lime juice and, using a hand blender, beat until very smooth. Pass through a chinois fine-mesh strainer. The syrup retains its color for 2 days when refrigerated.

SPICY AGAVE SYRUP Dice, core, and seed 4 jalapeño peppers. Charge in an iSi Whip with 31⁄2 cups hot water according to the manufacturer’s instructions and let stand for 5 minutes. Pass through a chinois fine-mesh strainer and combine with 7 cups agave nectar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.