Division Bell

Alessandro Scire Calabrisotto

Smoky, bittersweet and beautifully balanced, the Division Bell is one of the modern cocktails credited with putting mezcal on the map. Another inspired riff on the Last Word from the great Phil Ward, it swaps gin for smoky mezcal and Chartreuse for bittersweet Aperol — the kind of clever substitution that feels obvious only once someone brilliant has done it. If you love agave spirits, this is essential drinking.

History of the Division Bell

The Division Bell was created in 2009 by Phil Ward for the opening of Mayahuel, his pioneering agave-focused bar in New York City. Charged with devising a long list of tequila and mezcal drinks, Ward reached once more for the equal-parts logic of the Last Word — the 1916 classic of gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino and lime — and reimagined it around mezcal.

In place of gin he used smoky mezcal; in place of Chartreuse, bittersweet Aperol; he kept a touch of maraschino and fresh lime to tie it together. He named the drink after the Pink Floyd album he had been listening to while building out the bar. The Division Bell went on to become one of the most influential agave cocktails of its generation, widely credited — alongside Ward's Oaxaca Old Fashioned — with helping introduce American drinkers to mezcal at a time when it was still a curiosity.

Recipe: How to Make a Classic Division Bell

Ingredients:

  • 45 ml (1.5 oz) mezcal
  • 22.5 ml (0.75 oz) Aperol
  • 15 ml (0.5 oz) maraschino liqueur
  • 22.5 ml (0.75 oz) fresh lime juice

Instructions:

  1. Add the mezcal, Aperol, maraschino liqueur and fresh lime juice to a cocktail shaker.
  2. Fill the shaker with ice.
  3. Shake hard until well chilled, around 12 to 15 seconds.
  4. Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass.
  5. Express the oils from a grapefruit peel over the surface, then discard the peel.

Tips for Perfection:

  • Choose a characterful but not overpowering mezcal — you want smoke that supports the drink, not swamps it.
  • The grapefruit oil garnish is not optional; it lifts the whole cocktail and adds a fragrant top note.
  • Use fresh lime juice only — bottled juice will dull the bright, citrus-led balance.

Additional Recommendations

Variations:

  • Tequila version — use a good reposado in place of mezcal for a gentler, less smoky drink.
  • Naked & Famous — a famous sibling riff with mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, Aperol and lime in equal parts.
  • Mezcal split — combine mezcal and tequila to soften the smoke while keeping its depth.

Pairings:

  • Fresh ceviche or citrus-cured fish.
  • Grilled or charred vegetables, which echo the smoke.
  • Salty tortilla chips with a sharp tomatillo salsa.

Presentation:

  • Serve straight up in a chilled coupe for an elegant finish.
  • A twist of grapefruit perched on the rim makes a fragrant, eye-catching garnish.

Curiosity: A Fun Fact About the Division Bell

The drink shares its name with Pink Floyd's 1994 album The Division Bell — a fittingly atmospheric soundtrack for a cocktail built on smoke and shadow. Ward reportedly had it on repeat while constructing the very bar where the drink was born.

Sources

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