Jack’s Morning Don
Ingredients: Mezcal, Génépi liqueur, pear brandy, St-Germaine $12
Photo by Cocoa Laney
With its delicate color and crisp finish, the Morning Don is a springtime spin on the classic Negroni. Sweet pear notes combine with a smoky undertone from the Mezcal, resulting in a drink that’s fragrant, lightly floral, and just stiff enough.
Like most memorable libations, the Morning Don is also the result of an experiment gone right. Bartender Kyle Maurer says one of his regulars (whose name, I should note, is Don) stopped into Jack’s on a regular weeknight, just two days before our interview. Given his rapport with Don, Maurer then offered to whip up something wholly original using two seemingly opposite—yet extremely compatible—ingredients.
“I saw him and was like, ‘Pear and Mezcal is super delicious. Do you trust me?’ He’s like, ‘Yes.’ And so I made him a version of that,” Maurer says. “[Don] said it’s the perfect springtime drink. Do you agree?”
The answer, of course, is yes—I agree with Don wholeheartedly. But you don’t have to take our word for it: the Morning Don has been lauded by the other mixologists at Jack’s too. If you’re in need of a pick-me-up on a rainy spring night, I recommend ordering one for yourself, preferably while the cherry blossoms are still in bloom. 219 W. Holly St., Bellingham, drinkatjacksbar.com
