Ras el hanout? In a cocktail? You’d be forgiven for thinking it would border on bizarre. But, it’s the thrill of the unexpected that makes the eponymous drink at The Smoking Camel – Byron Bay’s neon-tinged modern Levantine bar and diner – such a winner.
“In the lead-up to opening, the kitchen team were playing with different spice mixes like vadouvan and ras el hanout,” says bar manager Reece Tocker. “We borrowed plenty of these ingredients in the bar during that experimental phase and found that ras el hanout had the perfect blend of savoury flavours and a touch of chilli heat, which marries itself nicely to a cocktail.”
That cocktail is essentially a frothy Mezcal Sour, which pits the hero spirit’s smoky profile against the softness of pears and the woody, earthy warmth of the North African spice mixture. The use of raw sugar in the syrup lightens the sweetness substantially, and the lemon cuts through it all just so. Consider it both a testament to the endless adaptability of the classic sour recipe and proof that even the littlest bit of spice can leave a big lasting impression.
How to make The Smoking Camel recipe
For ras el hanout and pear syrup, combine 100gm raw sugar, 100ml water, 100gm diced pear and 4gm ras el hanout in a small saucepan.
Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add 150ml freshly squeezed lemon juice, then strain the liquid and allow to cool.
In a cocktail shaker, combine 60ml mezcal, 75ml ras el hanout and pear syrup and 1 egg white. Shake vigorously without ice first, then add ice and shake again.
Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a whole star anise.
Mezcals to try in The Smoking Camel
Mezcal Los Siete Misterios Doba-Yej
Tocker’s preferred mezcal is a copper-distilled number that meshes grilled citrus, stone fruit and smoke notes with a hint of leather.
Mezcal Verde Amarás Momento
A peachy, grassy pick that’s great in cocktails, from a forward-thinking label that supports small farmers and invests in reforestation.
Mezcal Mal Bien Espadín
As sound a sipper as it is a mixer, segueing seamlessly from banana-sweet brightness to a more mineral-driven, vegetal finish.
Find out everything you need to know about the smoky, agave-based spirit in our mezcal explainer.
What is mezcal?
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