How to make the Guillotine, a mezcal and scotch twist
To make the Guillotine, the mezcal and scotch Old Fashioned twist, stir 1 oz. mezcal, 0.75 oz. blended scotch, 0.25 oz. honey syrup, and 0.25 oz. banana liqueur with ice for 15 to 20 seconds. Banana liqueur is the surprise fourth ingredient. Strain over fresh ice and garnish with lemon peel. If you want to know how to make the Guillotine, the mezcal-and-scotch pour Robb Report calls cocktail Mad Libs, this is the blueprint luxury homeowners use to impress guests.
Key Takeaways
- The Guillotine's fourth ingredient is banana liqueur, paired with mezcal, blended scotch, and honey syrup.
- Franky Marshall created it around 2016 at Le Boudoir, a Marie Antoinette-themed Brooklyn speakeasy.
- Stir 1 oz. mezcal, 0.75 oz. non-smoky blended scotch, 0.25 oz. honey syrup, and 0.25 oz. banana liqueur for 15 to 20 seconds.
- Banana flavor builds from absent to bold on the finish, balancing mezcal smoke with scotch malt.
- The drink suits upscale home bars where guests expect refined, conversation-starting cocktails.
What Is the Surprising Fourth Ingredient in the Guillotine?
You are not going to guess it. Even knowing the drink combines scotch whisky, mezcal, and honey, banana liqueur still sounds like a stretch. Yet according to Robb Report, that quarter-ounce of banana liqueur is what makes the Guillotine truly remarkable.
The banana note arrives slowly, absent up front, a murmur mid-palate, then bold on the finish where it meets mezcal's vegetal smoke. It is an Old Fashioned put through a fun house mirror, soft and round yet smoky enough to hold its own.
Who Created the Guillotine and Why Does It Matter?
Bartender Franky Marshall invented the Guillotine at Le Boudoir in Brooklyn around 2016. The speakeasy was Marie Antoinette-themed, and Marshall, described as a Francophone cocktail aficionado who cosplayed as France's doomed queen, named the drink as a darkly witty nod to Antoinette's final chapter.
Marshall's career spans major New York bars, Beverage Alcohol Resource education work, and emceeing events like Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. For homeowners curating a luxury real estate entertaining space, the Guillotine offers pedigree plus personality.
How Do You Make the Guillotine at Home?
Robb Report's recipe is straightforward. Add 1 oz. mezcal, 0.75 oz. blended scotch (non-smoky), 0.25 oz. honey syrup, and 0.25 oz. banana liqueur to a mixing glass with a lemon peel and ice. Stir 15 to 20 seconds, strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass, and garnish with another lemon peel.
Choose an artisanal mezcal between 42 and 50 percent alcohol for maximum character. Author Jason O'Bryan adds a subtle tweak: stirring with lemon peel deepens the drink's personality beyond Marshall's original single-peel call.
Why Is the Guillotine Trending Among Luxury Drinkers?
High-end entertaining is having a moment, from Cyril Lignac's new Bar des Pres on London's Mayfair flagship strip to Islay Rum Distillery's sherry cask-aged releases in scotch country. Across luxury dining and spirits, bartenders are pushing bold, layered pours.
The Guillotine fits that mood perfectly: refined enough for a salon-style gathering, bizarre enough to spark debate. It is a banana drink and an Old Fashioned, a mezcal sip and a scotch cocktail, easy to mix, impossible to forget.