Sandiablo
Mezcal, Clarified Nopales-Infused Mezcal, Pickled Watermelon Rind Brine, Watermelon Seed Orgeat, Watermelon Ice, Pickled Watermelon Rind, Watermelon Carpaccio
Bartender Maxwell Reis of Mírate | Los Angeles, CA
“When creating the Sandiablo, I wanted to celebrate every part of the watermelon—the juice, rind, and seeds—showcasing the versatility of a fruit that's often reduced to just adding sweetness. By finding a purpose for each component, the cocktail leaves virtually nothing to waste. The juice is stabilized, frozen into cubes, and used for dilution, so every bit of melting adds more watermelon flavor instead of water. The seeds become an orgeat with a subtle green, nutty character, while acidified pickled watermelon rind brine replaces citrus. These are paired with Don Mateo Cupreata mezcal, chosen for its naturally occurring watermelon notes, and partially infused with nopales using the Justino technique for a cooling, herbaceous finish. The cocktail is served alongside a watermelon carpaccio, highlighting one final expression of the fruit while paying homage to one of my favorite cocktail traditions: serving a thoughtful little snack.” — Bartender Max Reis
Adapted by StarChefs | August 2026 | Photo: Jakob Layman
INGREDIENTS
Pickled Watermelon Rind:
950 grams apple cider vinegar
300 grams granulated sugar
30 grams candied ginger
10 grams kosher salt
3 grams cinnamon stick
1 gram cloves
¼ gram allspice
2 strips lemon rind
900 grams watermelon rind, trimmed, cut into circles
Pickled Watermelon Rind Brine:
25 grams citric acid
12.5 grams malic acid
Watermelon Seed Orgeat:
115 grams watermelon seeds
225 grams granulated sugar
¼ gram ascorbic acid
Clarified Nopales-Infused Mezcal:
750 milliliters Don Mateo Cupreata mezcal
150 grams nopales
6 milliliters kieselsol
3 milliliters pectin
3 milliliters chitosan
Buddha's Hand Vinaigrette:
41 grams extra virgin olive oil
30 grams Buddha's hand juice
6 grams pink salt
Watermelon Carpaccio:
Watermelon juice
Watermelon Ice Cubes:
Strained watermelon juice
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 cocktail
1 ounce Don Mateo Cupreata mezcal
METHOD
For the Pickled Watermelon Rind:
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring vinegar, sugar, ginger, salt, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and lemon rind to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 15 minutes. Increase heat and add watermelon rind. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer additional 40 minutes, or until rind is slightly translucent. Strain, reserving rind and pickling liquid separately.
For the Pickled Watermelon Rind Brine:
In a nonreactive container, combine all ingredients and 1 liter reserved Pickled Watermelon Rind pickling liquid. Stir until acids are fully dissolved. Cover and refrigerate.
For the Watermelon Seed Orgeat:
In a blender, blitz seeds into a fine powder. With the machine running on low speed, stream in 225 grams water. Add sugar and blend until sugar is fully dissolved. Stir in ascorbic acid. Pass through cheesecloth into a nonreactive container. Cover and refrigerate.
For the Clarified Nopales-Infused Mezcal:
In a blender, combine mezcal, nopales, 3 milliliters kieselsol, and pectin. Blend on high speed until warmed through. Let sit 15 minutes. Add chitosan and blend until well incorporated. Let sit additional 15 minutes. Add remaining 3 milliliters kieselsol. Blend until incorporated. Let sit overnight. The next day, transfer mixture to a centrifuge and spin until clear. Strain, bottle, and reserve.
For the Buddha's Hand Vinaigrette:
In a mixing bowl, whisk to combine all ingredients until fully emulsified. Set aside.
For the Watermelon Carpaccio:
Heat dehydrator to 142°F. Place watermelon on a silicone-lined sheet tray. Dehydrate 30 hours. The next day, cut into ½-inch slices. Transfer to an airtight container with Buddha's Hand Vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate.
For the Watermelon Ice Cubes:
Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 145°F. Place watermelon juice in a vacuum bag. Seal and cook sous vide 40 minutes. Divide evenly into 1-inch silicone ice cube molds. Freeze.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a cocktail shaker, combine mezcal, 1 ounce Clarified Nopales-Infused Mezcal, ¾ ounce Pickled Watermelon Rind Brine, ¾ ounce Watermelon Seed Orgeat, and 3 Watermelon Ice Cubes. Shake until chilled. Strain into a rock glass with 1 large ice cube. Garnish with 1 Pickled Watermelon Rind. Serve with 1 slice Watermelon Carpaccio.
