Desert Bloom is an agave-lover’s cocktail that grew out of Jake Powell’s interest in the shared threads running through the ingredients, especially the split base of mezcal and raicilla (an agave-based spirit from Jalisco). Working within the framework of a 50/50 Martini, he kept an equal-parts split between the full-proof spirits and fortified components. The result is a quiet, balanced cocktail: smoky but not heavy, fruity but not sweet, and built with the kind of precision that lets every element show through.