Sassy Flower (Hibiscus-Rosemary Mezcal Cocktail)

Inspired by agua de jamaica, this easy and well-balanced cocktail is incredibly easy to make.

By
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a longtime food and drink expert whose recipes and cocktail-making tips can be found on her newsletters What to Drink and The Dinner Plan. She is the author of  The One-Bottle Cocktail and Batch Cocktails, both published by Ten Speed Press.
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Updated May 02, 2025
OneBottleCocktail_Sassy-Flower-edit
Photograph: © Kelly Puleio 2018, resized for publication

Why It Works

  • Tangy hibiscus tea is steeped with fresh rosemary, adding a piney flavor that draws out the woodsy side of mezcal.
  • If you prep the syrup early and stash it in your fridge, finishing this one-bottle drink is a snap.

New York bartender Alan Ruesga-Pelayo grew up in Mexico enjoying his mother's and grandmother's homemade aguas frescas. His favorite was always the hibiscus-flavored version, agua de jamaica, which inspired this drink.

Reprinted with permission from by Maggie Hoffman, copyright © 2018. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.The One-Bottle Cocktail: More Than 80 Recipes With Fresh Ingredients and a Single Spirit

Recipe Details

Sassy Flower (Hibiscus-Rosemary Mezcal Cocktail) Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 5 mins
Active 3 mins
Cooling Time 20 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 1 drink
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Ingredients

For the Hibiscus-Rosemary Syrup:

  • 2 hibiscus tea bags, such as Traditional Medicinals

  • 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, divided

  • 1 cup boiling water

  • 1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar

For the Cocktail:

  • 2 ounces mezcal (60 ml)

  • 1 ounce fresh lemon juice (30 ml)

  • 3/4 ounce Hibiscus-Rosemary Syrup

Directions

  1. For the Hibiscus-Rosemary Syrup: Steep tea bags and 1 rosemary sprig in boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain into a heatproof container with a tight-fitting lid, then add sugar and stir or shake until dissolved. Let cool, then refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

  2. For the cocktail: Combine mezcal, lemon juice, and hibiscus-rosemary syrup in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake until well chilled, about 12 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with the remaining rosemary sprig.

Special equipment

Electric kettle (optional), Mason jar, cocktail shaker set, strainer

Make-Ahead and Storage

The steeped and cooled hibiscus-rosemary tea can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
165 Calories
0g Fat
17g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 165
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 14mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 12mg 60%
Calcium 3mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 34mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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