Opened in 1933 to celebrate the end of prohibition, the Esquire Tavern is the oldest bar on the San Antonio Riverwalk. It also boasts the longest wooden bar top in Texas and has built a reputation as one of the best cocktail bars in town. Several big names in the cocktail scene have been behind the bar at Esquire. The latest of those is Stephan Mendez.

The San Antonio native and William H. Taft High School graduate was bored with an office job and needed a change. He landed his first bartending gig at Texas Road House. Gotta love those damn rolls. Fun fact and a brief tangent: I too used to work at Texas Road House (busser) and would absolutely feast on uneaten rolls left on tables since there wasn’t really time to eat. Ahh…good times. End tangent.

This isn’t the first time Stephan created a unique take on the Brandy Alexander. He also participated in the Tour back in 2018 while at Still Golden. This time around he brings us the Gettin’ Figgy With It. A take on the classic dessert cocktail that features mezcal and of course, a bar spoon of a fig liqueur. The mezcal provides a pleasant smokey flavor that doesn’t overshadow the other ingredients and still allows the dried fruit and berry flavors from the fig liqueur to come through.

All in all, the Gettin’ Figgy With It is a satisfying and complex spin on the classic Brandy Alexander brought to you by one of the best barkeeps in the business. Visit Stephan (think Stefan…not Steven) now through NYE to enjoy this lovely sipper while you can.

Maybe buy him his favorite cocktail (Negroni) while you’re there, and ask him why he’d revisit Ireland over Scotland.