My husband taste-tests every mezcal drink I make, since mezcal is one of the few spirits I can’t drink myself. The Smoked Prickly Pear Sour is still one of his favorites, as I continue to experiment.

He loves it because it combines vodka and mezcal, prickly pear syrup for sweetness and color, fresh lime juice, and brags with a smoked salt rim.

Two spirits in one glass isn’t as tricky or weird-tasting as you might think. The vodka helps keep the mezcal’s smoke from taking over, making this a fabulous way to introduce someone to mezcal without handing them a straight shot.

About the Vodka and Mezcal Mix

Using both spirits instead of just one is what makes this drink different from others.

Straight mezcal can be intense for people who aren’t used to it. The vodka mellows that smoke while still letting it come through clearly. You get the best of both worlds without the smoke being the dominant flavor in the drink.

Prickly Pear and Smoke

Prickly pear has a subtle, earthy sweetness that pairs really well with smoky flavors. It’s not as cloying as some fruit syrups. The pink color is a bonus (or orange, depending on your prickly pears), especially against the smoked salt rim.

You can make your own prickly pear syrup or order good quality syrup online. I keep mine in 8 oz glass jars in the fridge.

The Right Glass for This Drink

Rocks glasses are perfect for the Pink Dust because you want a large ice cube.

A big cube melts slower, which means your drink stays cold without getting watery. These rocks glasses are a good size and show off that pink color.

If you have a clear ice cube maker, even better. Clear ice looks impressive and melts more slowly than cloudy ice you get straight from your freezer.

The Smoked Salt Rim

Smoked salt has a subtle smokiness that echoes the mezcal without overpowering it. It also adds just enough saltiness to balance the sweet prickly pear and tart lime, and give you a margarita feeling.

Regular salt works if that’s all you have, but smoked salt is worth picking up if you make cocktails regularly. You’ll definitely use it up.

The Smoked Glass Variation

You can add even more smokiness by smoking the glass before you make the drink. Turn your glass upside down over a small piece of burning wood chip, or use a smoking gun like this one. Let it fill with smoke, flip it right side up, and pour your drink in immediately.

The smoke gets trapped under the drink and releases as you sip. Dramatic showmanship aside, it adds another layer of flavor.

Making it a Mocktail

Mix prickly pear syrup, fresh lime juice, and soda water over ice. You lose the smoke, but you keep that sweet-tart balance and the pink color. It’s refreshing without being too sweet.

If you really want the smoke and don’t care about the color, you can add Lapsang Souchong tea, which has a natural smokiness. Check out my Lapsang Maple Sour for an idea on how this would play out.

Skip the smoked salt rim for the mocktail. Regular salt or no salt works better.

Fresh Lime is Essential

Don’t use bottled lime juice in this drink, or really any other cocktail if you care about taste.

Fresh lime brings brightness that balances the smoke and sweetness. The flavor is cleaner and the acidity is better than what you get in a bottle. You need three-quarters of an ounce, which is maybe one and a half limes.

A citrus juicer makes this easier, but you can hand-squeeze you limes if needed.

The Large Ice Cube Detail

A single large cube melts way slower than regular ice cubes, which means your drink stays properly cold without getting diluted. You can buy silicone ice cube trays that make big cubes, or use a clear ice cube maker (this is the one I have) if you want to get fancy.

Storage and Batching

Your prickly pear syrup keeps for about a week in the fridge.

For longer storage, freeze some in ice cube trays and pop out a cube whenever you want to make a drink.

You can batch the liquid ingredients for parties and keep them cold, then shake individual portions with ice when you’re ready to serve. Don’t pre-make these completely because they’ll get watery.

Variations Worth Trying

Once you’ve made the basic version, there’s room to experiment.

Swap the mezcal for more vodka if you want the drink without smoke. Or flip the proportions and use more mezcal for something smokier. You could also try different flavored salts on the rim.

For cocktail garnishes, a dehydrated lime slice looks great. So does a thin slice of fresh prickly pear if you can find it. Just watch out for those prickles cause they are almost invisible and should NOT be eaten.

Tools You Need

If you’re building out a home bar, here’s what makes cocktail recipes like this easy:

A good bartender kit has what you need to start. At minimum grab a Boston shaker, a jigger for measuring, and a fine-mesh strainer.

Good rocks glasses are worth having. You’ll use them for way more than just this drink.

Other Cocktails Using Prickly Pear Syrup

Looking for more ways to use that prickly pear syrup? Try these:

• Cactus Margarita – Tequila, prickly pear, lime, and orange liqueur. The pink margarita that’s better than the original.
• Desert Sunset Martini – Vodka, prickly pear, and lemon in a chilled coupe. Clean, bright, and gorgeous.
• Cactus Cooler Collins – Vodka, prickly pear, pineapple, and lime topped with soda. Tropical meets desert.
• Cactus Orchard Fizz – Bourbon, prickly pear, apple juice, and lemon with a cinnamon stick. Perfect for fall.
• Prickly Pear Moscow Mule – Swap simple syrups in your regular mule for prickly pear.
• Prickly Pear Daiquiri – White rum, lime, and prickly pear shaken and served up.

Check out my full collection of simple syrups and the cocktail recipes that use them. I’ve got recommendations for all my favorite bar tools and ingredients over in my shop right here.

How to Make a Smoked Prickly Pear Sour

Ingredients

• 1½ oz vodka
• ½ oz mezcal
• ¾ oz prickly pear syrup
• ¾ oz fresh lime juice
• Ice
• Smoked salt for rim
• Lime wheel for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Start with the smoked salt rim. Run a lime wedge around half the rim of your rocks glass, then dip it in smoked salt. Only do half the rim so people can choose whether they want salt with every sip.

Next, fill your Boston shaker with ice.

Add the vodka, mezcal, prickly pear syrup, and lime juice. Shake hard for about 15 seconds until the shaker is ice cold.

Put one large ice cube in your prepared glass. Strain the drink over it. Garnish with a lime wheel and a sprinkle of salt. Voila! You are done.