The Salty Bastard from Erick Castro at San Diego’s Polite Provisions is well-named; one can easily image a leathery old pirate sipping on this fine blend of smoky mezcal and artichoke amaro, tamed with a touch of honey and the ever-present salt of the sea.
Use a light hand with the salt – a pinch is almost too much. We like to go big with the orange twist garnish, peeling off as large a swathe as we can manage. It doesn’t need to be squeezed into the drink; it offers the perfect amount of fragrance merely resting in the glass.
