Mysterious and epic, the Division Bell cocktail is a contemporary classic.
I remember it like it was yesterday…
I’m sitting in homeroom, killing time until the bell rings, and we’d all have to hoof it to our next classes. This particular day, I was poring over the latest issue of Guitar World magazine, reading about another kind of bell, Pink Floyd’s newest release, entitled The Division Bell, in 1994. And with Floyd being the band they were, a mystery related to them began to unfold in one of the magazine’s news stories.
A figure calling themselves Publius Enigma started to post cryptic and seemingly nonsensical messages at concerts and on the band’s message boards, in what were some of the earliest days of the internet. They stated that if any fan could solve the riddle, a fabulous prize would be won. I followed this story throughout the following months, but eventually lost track, and like many others at the time, believed it to be a hoax. Turns out the band admitted it was a marketing ploy set up by their record company, and drummer Nick Mason later stated that the prize was “something like a crop of trees planted in a clear-cut area of forest or something.”
Is tonight’s cocktail, the Division Bell, somehow related to Pink Floyd and their enigmatic, atmospheric album of the same name? Yes, actually. When bartender Phil Ward was opening his own place, Mayahuel in New York City in 2009, he had the album playing on a constant loop. When he created the Division Bell cocktail as an homage to the legendary Last Word, he christened his own creation in honor of the music that inspired him.
What is the best alcohol to use in a Division Bell cocktail?
This is an agave-forward mixture, and a smoky, complex one at that due to the presence of mezcal. A bottle of Vida is always used by the barkeeps who keep me hydrated, and it’s also a spirit that is easily found at your local liquor store. If you’ve never experienced the joys of mezcal, Vida is a great place to start. Melding with a sweet maraschino liqueur like Luxardo along with the bittersweet orange notes of the Aperol, the Division Bell tastes just as epic as the songs that helped give this concoction life.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce mezcal
- 3/4 ounce Aperol
- 1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur
- 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
- Grapefruit twist for garnish
Instructions
- Add the mezcal, Aperol, maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well.
- Strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe glass.
- Express a grapefruit twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.
Nutrition
What glassware and garnish are used?
For an extra cold and crisp sip, chill a coupe in your freezer for up to 30 minutes before serving. Once your drink is shaken and poured, express a grapefruit peel over your beverage and place it in the drink for garnish.
Can you use tequila instead of mezcal?
If you’ve found yourself without any mezcal when whipping this recipe up, a reposado or añejo tequila will make a suitable substitute. Both are aged and darker in color than the clear blanco variety, with the latter having a richer and more complex-tasting sip.
Similar cocktails to the Division Bell
After having a Division Bell or two, you might be curious about the original drink that it riffs on, the Last Word. That tipple has been around since 1915, and has inspired a number of other sophisticated and robust sippers. Check out some of these recipes from Twist & Toast to try a few other elegant elixirs.
- Paper Plane – Bourbon and Amaro help to make this long-stemmed treat an unforgettable one.
- Naked and Famous – This drink also features mezcal and Aperol, but is paired with yellow Chartreuse.
- Final Ward – Rye whiskey and green Chartreuse make this take on the classic a spicy, potent one.
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