The Illegal recipe
the mezcal cocktail
Place a coupe in the freezer for ten minutes, or fill it with ice and water.
Add the mezcal, the rum, falernum, maraschino, lime juice and sugar syrup to a shaker. Optionally add a few drops of egg white.
Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for fifteen seconds, so the egg white forms a fine layer of foam.
Discard the ice from the coupe and double-strain the cocktail into it.
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The story
There are two accounts of the Illegal's origins. According to the best-known version, Italian bartender Samuele Ambrosi came up with it in the late 1990s while working at the Castel Brando hotel in Cison di Valmarino. It began as a Daiquiri variation with tequila, falernum, Jamaican rum, maraschino, and lime; Ambrosi is said to have later replaced the tequila with mezcal. According to that story, the name comes from an American guest who thought the drink was so delicious that it ought to be illegal. Other cocktail experts find no trace of the drink before the cocktail revival around 2010. What is certain is that the IBA added the Illegal to its official list in 2020, in the New Era Drinks category.
The right glass
The IBA gives two options: straight up in a chilled cocktail glass, or over ice in a traditional clay or terracotta cup. We choose the coupe. The drink goes into the glass without ice, so the stem keeps it cool for longer, and the wide bowl lets the mezcal's smoke and the egg white foam shine. With more than 13 cl after shaking, a 24 to 26 cl coupe is the right size. View our champagne coupes.
RCR Timeless Champagne Glass / Coupe 26 cl (6 pieces)
Bormioli Rocco America'20S Champagne Glass / Coupe 22 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 79,90.
The right tools
For an Illegal, besides the glass, you use a Boston shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a cocktail strainer, a fine strainer for double straining, and a citrus juicer. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 161,70.
What do you make an Illegal with?
For an Illegal, you need mezcal, rum and liqueur. Well-known bottles include Casamigos Mezcal. On every drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
For the original version, use blanco tequila instead of mezcal; the drink will then be fresher and less smoky. If you do not have overproof rum, use a regular white Jamaican rum and keep the rest the same. If you are looking for mezcal with something bitter, try the Naked and Famous. And for falernum in a long drink with lots of rum, there is the Zombie.
Serving tip
Store an opened bottle of falernum in the refrigerator, especially if it is an alcohol-free syrup. Serve the Illegal with something savory, such as salted almonds or tortilla chips: the salt brings out the mezcal's smokiness.
Good to know
What is the Illegal cocktail
The Illegal is a tart mezcal-based cocktail built like a Daiquiri: spirit, lime juice and sugar. Three flavorings are added on top. Jamaican overproof rum brings ripe fruit and a powerful, funky note. Falernum, a liqueur or syrup from the Caribbean, adds lime, ginger, clove and almond. A bar spoon of maraschino, a clear liqueur made from marasca cherries, provides a dry, nutty sweetness. The egg white is optional and adds texture, not flavor. Overall, it tastes smoky, spicy and fresh.
Which mezcal should you use
The IBA calls for espadín, the agave variety used to make most mezcal. Espadín has a distinct but not overpowering smoke, created by roasting the agave hearts in a pit in the ground. A relatively mild mezcal such as Casamigos Mezcal leaves room for the rum and falernum; a very smoky bottle quickly overwhelms everything else. The cocktail's name is sometimes linked to the Ilegal mezcal brand, but it is spelled with one l, and the IBA recipe does not specify a brand. Any good espadín will work.
Falernum and maraschino: what are they
Falernum comes from Barbados and is available as both a liqueur and a syrup. The best-known liqueur is Velvet Falernum by John D. Taylor's, with around 11 percent alcohol. It tastes of lime, ginger, clove, and almond and is a staple in tiki cocktails. Maraschino is a clear cherry liqueur made from marasca cherries; Luxardo, the brand named by the IBA, is the best known. You only need a bar spoon of maraschino: use more and the nutty cherry flavor will take over. Both bottles keep for a long time.
Why Jamaican overproof rum
White Jamaican overproof rum, usually around 63 percent ABV, is packed with esters: aromatic compounds that form during the long fermentation Jamaica is known for. They provide notes of ripe banana and pineapple, and in the Illegal they balance the mezcal's smoke. Since only 1.5 cl goes in, the drink remains balanced, although the alcohol content still counts for a lot. Wray & Nephew is the best-known white overproof rum. If you don't have it, use a regular white Jamaican rum; the drink will be slightly softer but retain its character.
Illegal with or without egg white
The egg white is optional, and you only use a few drops of it, not a whole egg white as in a Whiskey Sour. That small amount gives the drink a softer texture and a thin layer of foam, without turning it into a foamy cocktail. Shake vigorously for fifteen seconds so the egg white foams properly. If you don't want raw egg, use a few drops of aquafaba, the cooking liquid from chickpeas. If you leave it out entirely, the Illegal will be clearer and slightly sharper.
Illegal, Daiquiri and Margarita: the difference
All three are sours based on lime juice. The Daiquiri sticks to rum, lime and sugar and tastes clean and fresh. The Margarita uses tequila and an orange liqueur. The Illegal builds on the Daiquiri, but gives mezcal the starring role and adds falernum and maraschino. This makes it more complex and spicier than either, with smoke as its through line. Those who know the Daiquiri will recognize the balance; those who know the Margarita will recognize the agave.
Frequently asked questions
What is an Illegal cocktail?
The Illegal is a mezcal cocktail with Jamaican overproof rum, falernum, maraschino, fresh lime juice and sugar syrup, shaken and served in a chilled coupe. It tastes smoky, spicy and fresh, like a Daiquiri with mezcal. The IBA added it to its official list in 2020.
What's in an Illegal?
According to the IBA: 3 cl mezcal espadín, 1.5 cl white Jamaican overproof rum, 1.5 cl falernum, a bar spoon of maraschino, 2.25 cl fresh lime juice and 1.5 cl sugar syrup. A few drops of egg white are optional and create a layer of foam.
Why is the cocktail called Illegal?
According to the best-known account, an American guest said the drink was so delicious that it should be illegal. There is no hard evidence for that story. A link to the Ilegal mezcal brand seems obvious, but that brand is spelled with one l and the recipe does not mention a brand.
Which glass do you use for an Illegal?
A chilled coupe holding 24 to 26 cl if you serve it without ice. On ice, the IBA says it belongs in a traditional clay or terracotta cup. If you don't have one, a tumbler with one large ice cube works too.
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