Gin is one spirit that’s nearly constantly evolving and changing as the world of alcohol and booze spins on, and agave gin spirits are the perfect shining and sunny example of that. What's the result of juniper and agave mashing together? An earthy and herbaceous smoky spirit that’ll knock your cocktail socks right off.
What Are Agave Gin Spirits?
Much like tequila is made, agave gin starts the same way: with cooked agave, although whether it’s prepared like mezcal and roasted in earthen pits or steamed in ovens like tequila is all up to the distillery.
Adding juniper to an agave spirit doesn’t make it a botanical gin-tequila hybrid. It’s an agave spirit — full stop. In the agave liquor world, that means you now have tequila, mezcal, and agave spirits. Those agave spirits? That’s where agave gin comes in.
What Does Agave Gin Taste Like?
Like traditional agave spirits, the way an agave gin tastes largely depends on how the agave is cooked. If the agave is smoked, it’ll be a smoky juniper pine tree that dances across your tongue. If the agave is steamed, then you’re left with a smooth, sultry, and summery juniper vacation that’ll have your palate booking a flight to somewhere warm.
What to Mix With Agave Gin
Your first thought might be that you can mix agave gin with everything you mix with tequila since they're both agave forward. It's an ambitious but tricky idea. Not all things that mix with tequila mix with gin. But some things mix beautifully.
- Club soda
- Lime juice
- Lemon juice
- Pomegranate juice
- Prosecco
- Sweet and sour mix
- Lemonade
- Limeade
- Muddled cucumber
- Honey
- Tonic water
- Ginger beer
- Orange juice
- Orange liqueur
- Lemon-lime soda
- Flavored club soda such as berry, vanilla, lemon, or black cherry
- Cranberry juice
- Grenadine
Agave Gin Cocktails
The time is upon us to mix up that agave gin spirit into a cocktail. What better place to begin than with these three approachable, easy drinks? Or try it in a classic gin drink. We like the idea of an agave gin brambler. Of course, you can always slip this into a margarita and start there, too.
Agave Gin Negroni
The negroni is perfectly balanced as is it, but with an agave gin? Oh baby, this bar menu staple could win gold medals.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces agave gin
- 1 ounce Campari
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- Ice
- Orange peel for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ice, agave gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with an orange peel.
Agave Gin Lemon Fizz
Give your lemony fizz a little something extra the next time you're bubble hunting. Punch up the agave flavors by swapping the simple syrup for agave syrup. Agave on agave? Yes, please.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces agave gin
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, agave gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with club soda.
- Stir briefly to mix.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Short on time? Just want a simpler cocktail? Go ahead and use sparkling lemonade in place of the club soda and lemon juice.
Agave Gin & Sin
Few things in life are better than a three-day weekend, an unexpected jelly-filled donut, or discovering your new favorite book. One of those few things? A gin martini.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces agave gin
- ½ ounce dry vermouth
- 1-2 dashes orange bitters
- Ice
- Lemon ribbon for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a mixing glass, add ice, agave gin, dry vermouth, and orange bitters.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with a lemon ribbon.
Agave? Yes Way!
There's no need to carry around a little sunshine in your pocket when you have agave gin on your liquor shelf at home. Sultry, smoky, and all the notes of gin that you adore so much? Honestly, the biggest question is why this didn't happen sooner.
