Darryl Robinson: Celebrity Mixologist, RIP (And His Last Drink Recipe)

We’re very sorry to be waking up to the news that celebrity mixologist Darryl Robinson was found dead this morning in his Brooklyn apartment. You can get a quick recap of the sad facts from the Daily News here in New York. It’ll take a few more days to collect the different recollections of how Darryl Robinson–who established himself with his DR Mixologist brand–was one of New York City’s favorite mixologists. He was also one of the city’s very few mixologists who didn’t totally irritate us.
In fact, Darryl was an amiable guy who made straightforward drinks that you could order without feeling like a real idiot. He was still adventurous, though, and Darryl came up with plenty of drinks that introduced his fans to some great new twist in a cocktail. He was the kind of mixologist who inspired his followers to do some mixing of their own.
There’s a lot to learn from his website–which, sadly, also includes Darryl’s final post for the following drink. The Super Bowl is over, but we’re going to mix one of these to have with our lunch today as we toast a great New York City bartender…

Smoking Super Bowl Cocktail

• Smoked Piña
• 1 oz Mezcal
• 4 oz Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
• 1 oz Agave Syrup
• Orange Bitters

Directions: combine all ingredients in an iced shaker, vigorously shake, strain over ice and garnish with an orange slice
* Excellent cocktail to batch and serve in a punch bowl!