Empellón Cocina's Fat-Washed Mezcal (Alcoholic Cocktail Beer Glass)

Listen, if you're going to order Empellón Cocina's Fat-Washed Mezcal, you need to be prepared for a conversation. This is not a drink you casually sip while checking your phone. This is a drink that demands your full attention and probably wants to tell you about its semester abroad. So here's the deal: someone took smoky Mexican agave spirit and thought, you know what this needs? Pork fat. And before you start making that face, let me tell you — that person was a genius. The fat-washing process basically means the spirit gets infused with rendered pork goodness and then chilled so the fat can be skimmed off, leaving behind this impossibly silky, savory character that makes you question everything you thought you knew about cocktails. Then they went ahead and added chocolate and coffee liqueurs, because apparently this drink needed to be even more complex than your last relationship. The result is something that tastes like a fancy dinner party got crashed by a campfire and somehow everyone got along beautifully. And just when you think you've got it figured out, the habanero tincture sneaks up on you like a plot twist in a thriller movie — a little heat that lingers at the back of your throat, reminding you that this drink is not playing around. This is the cocktail equivalent of that friend who's really into artisanal everything and actually knows what they're talking about. You'll sound incredibly sophisticated ordering it, and even more impressive describing it to your confused date. It's ambitious, it's theatrical, and it's absolutely worth every penny of whatever outrageous price they're charging for it. Welcome to the big leagues. Let's also talk about the power of ordering this drink at a bar. The bartender's eyes will light up — not because it's complicated, but because they recognize someone who appreciates the weird and wonderful. You'll get a knowing nod, maybe even a small commentary on the technique, and suddenly you've bonded with a stranger over pork fat and mezcal, which is honestly the most New York sentence ever written. The beer glass it comes in is a deliberate choice — it's casual, approachable, and says this drink may be haute cuisine but it's not above sitting at the table with you. No pretension, no stuffiness, just pure culinary swagger served in glassware that reminds you not to take yourself too seriously while you're busy taking this cocktail very seriously indeed.