The Paloma is a quintessential summertime drink, made with tequila or mezcal and grapefruit-flavored soda. So refreshing, right? Our take on this cocktail classic will instantly make you feel like you’re on vacay–even if the weather is saying otherwise. Mezcal, an agave-based liquor similar to tequila, gives our Paloma recipe a smoky spin. Traditional artisan mezcal is cooked inside lava rock-lined earthen pits filled with wood and charcoal, and distilled in clay pots– hence, the smoky flavor. Mezcal can be an “acquired taste,” so feel free to use standard tequila instead. Either way, one sip will elicit an immediate ahh.