This castaway may not involve a beach ball named Wilson, but it does have something else going for it: mezcal. The highball drink, served up at OAK Long Bar + Kitchen in Copley Square, features ginger beer, pineapple, and lime to temper the smoky spirit.

It also has a little visual flair, thanks to a generous float of Angostura bitters. It’s got a light silver hue when first strained out of the shaker but gradually turns orange as the ruby-red bitters trickle downward—like watching a sunset in a glass.

All this makes for a sipper that manages to be bright and tropical without masking mezcal’s bold flavors. Think of it as a gateway drink for the mezcal-shy.

“Everybody loves every spirit,” says bar manager Max Lambert. “There’s always a way to get it through.”

Cast Away
1½ ounces Del Maguey Vida Mezcal
½ ounce pineapple juice
½ ounce lime juice
½ ounce simple syrup
1 ounce ginger beer
Angostura bitters
Lime wheel, to garnish

Combine mezcal, pineapple juice, lime juice, and simple syrup in shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into a highball glass filled with crushed ice. Top drink with ginger beer and finish with four dashes of Angostura bitters. Garnish with lime wheel and serve.

Brian Samuels