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1 oz Mezcal (recommend a mezcal with a smooth smokiness.)
1 oz Brandy, Hennessy
2 1⁄2 t Aromatized wine, Cocchi Americano
1⁄4 oz Bénédictine
Instructions

Stir and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with Orange peel.

Notes

Spices, rose jam, smoky, berries, muscat

History

This cocktail is a variation of the beloved modern classic 'Death and Taxes'. It started with the idea of swapping gin and whiskey for mezcal and brandy. The name comes from the joke that if death and taxes are unavoidable in life, then marriage and business should be avoided whenever possible. Incidentally, taking the first letters of the spirits also spells M & B.

However, further research revealed many similar cocktails like the 'Plaza Vieja', or variations like 'Souls of the Mountain', 'Dolores del Rio', and '1910' – essentially the same mezcal and brandy combo with just the 'Punte Mes' spot swapped. This made me agonize over how to create a meaningful variation. After much discussion and trial and error, the final solution emerged: replacing 'Punte Mes' with 'Coca Americano' and 'Montenegro'. When I tried it, the result was incredibly satisfying, leading me to introduce it here.

Cocktail summary
Created by
Kang Hyun, Seoul, South Korea
Year
2026
Is the
author's original creation
Reference

myself

Curator
Not yet rated
User rating
Not yet rated
Yields Drink

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