Smoke Show Recipe

Make the syrup

Combine quartered figs, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 6–8 minutes, pressing figs lightly with a spoon to release juices and color. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Let the mixture cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes), then strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Cool completely before using. Refrigerate leftover syrup up to 7 days.

Prepare

If using egg white, dry-shake first (no ice) to build foam. Add blanco tequila, mezcal, lime juice, Grand Marnier, black fig simple syrup and vanilla bean paste into a cocktail shaker. If using egg white, include it now.

Dry shake (if using egg white)

Shake vigorously without ice for about 12–15 seconds to emulsify the egg white and create a silky texture.

Wet shake

Add ice to the shaker (about 6 cubes). Shake vigorously for 12–18 seconds until the shaker is well chilled and the exterior frosts.

Double strain and serve

Double-strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe or rocks glass (over fresh ice if preferred) using a Hawthorne and fine-mesh strainer to remove ice shards and fig solids. This yields a clear, smooth cocktail with fig color and aroma.

Smoke finish & garnish

For a smoked presentation, place the filled glass under an inverted cloche or small dome. Light a small wood chip or cinnamon stick and use a hand torch or lit match to create smoke; capture the smoke under the dome for 10–20 seconds, then lift and immediately present the drink so the smoke washes over the surface. Garnish with a lime wheel and a small thyme sprig. Optionally rub the rim lightly with the vanilla bean for extra aroma.