By Joaquín Simó (Death & Co NYC, 2009)

Maggie Smith

We’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of our first book by sharing some of our favorite (and lesser-known) recipes from "Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails" throughout the month. First up is Joaquín Simó’s Maggie Smith, a riff on Between the Sheets, a classic made with equal parts rum, cognac, and orange liqueur, plus lemon juice. Inspired by a scene in the 1982 Agatha Christie adaptation “Evil Under the Sun,” which starred the late Maggie Smith, Joaquín swapped in pisco for cognac and replaced some the orange liqueur’s sweetness with orgeat and honey syrup, creating a more layered, citrusy drink. Though originally served with a lime wheel, Joaquín recently switched the garnish to an orange twist when the  drink was featured in The New York Times upon the dame’s passing.  

1 ounce Campo de Encanto acholado pisco
1 ounce Banks 5-Island white rum
½ ounce Santa Teresa orange liqueur
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
¼ ounce orgeat
1 teaspoon Honey Syrup (see Note)
Garnish: 1 lime wheel or 1 orange peel

Shake all the ingredients with ice, then double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with the lime wheel or orange peel. 

Note: To make Honey Syrup, combine 2 parts wildflower honey with 1 part hot water in a bowl and whisk until thoroughly blended. Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 weeks.