M & M
An M & M is 40ml of mezcal and 40ml of Amaro Montenegro, stirred, then poured into a rocks glass over one big cube, finished with an orange or lime twist. Roughly 2.5 UK units, taking the amaro at 23% ABV and the mezcal at 40%. The name is short for Monte y Mezcal. Difford’s Guide says Marco Montefiori of Amaro Montenegro created it in 2015 and Robert Krueger popularised it at Employees Only in New York. It is two ingredients in equal measure, bittersweet and smoky, and nothing else in the glass.
Glassware: Rocks Glass
Garnish: Orange twist expressed over the drink and used as the garnish; Difford’s allows a lime twist instead
Ingredients
40ml
Difford’s prints Del Maguey Vida Puebla, a mezcal at 40% ABV. Any joven mezcal of similar strength follows the recipe, and a smokier one gives a drier drink.
40ml
An Italian bittersweet liqueur at 23% ABV, per the maker’s site and Difford’s Guide. Difford’s prints it as Amaro (e.g. Montenegro), so another amaro is permitted, though it makes a different drink.
Instructions
Cut an orange twist, and chill the glass you will use.
Add the mezcal and Amaro Montenegro to a mixing glass, then fill with ice.
Stir with plenty of ice for about 25 seconds, until the outside of the glass is cold.
Strain over a single large cube.
Squeeze the orange twist over the glass to release its oil, then use it as the garnish.
Source: Difford's Guide (recipe 5588, measures, method and garnish as printed (40ml Del Maguey Vida Puebla mezcal, 40ml amaro such as Montenegro, stirred, rocks glass over a large cube, orange or lime twist)). Last checked 1 November 2026.
Expert Tip
Measure both to the line. With two ingredients the recipe is the proportion, and a heavier pour of either turns the drink into a different one. If you are serving it as a shot, chill the bottles and skip the stir. Difford’s notes bartenders drink it that way, and the amaro is sweet enough that cold smooths it. Choose the twist for the room. Orange adds sweetness to the amaro, and lime, which Difford’s allows, sharpens the smoke.
Behind the M & M
Flavour Profile
Two bottles, one measure
Difford’s Guide records that the M & M, short for Monte y Mezcal, was created in 2015 by Marco Montefiori of Amaro Montenegro, and that Robert Krueger popularised it at Employees Only in New York. The 50/50 mix became so common among bartenders as a straight-up shot that it picked up the nickname Manager’s Meeting.
Why equal parts work
Mezcal brings smoke and dry agave. Amaro Montenegro is a lighter bittersweet amaro at 23% ABV per Difford’s Guide. Neither can take over because there is as much of one as the other. Difford’s describes the result as boozy and vaguely Negroni-like.
There is no sugar, citrus or dilution beyond the ice, so the drink depends on the bottles. A sweeter or more bitter amaro shifts the balance, and Difford’s allows any amaro, naming Montenegro as the example. A smokier mezcal pushes the drink dry.
Served as a shot or over ice
Difford’s serves it stirred, in a rocks glass, over one large cube, and notes it is popular as a straight-up shot among bartenders. It suggests a variation with three drops of chocolate bitters. Difford’s calls it perfect for late-night sipping, and a strength of 2.5 units supports the advice to sip.
The M & M beside three mezcal drinks
M & M
- Mezcal
- 40ml
- Bitter or liqueur
- 40ml Amaro Montenegro
- Citrus
- Twist only
- Method
- Stirred, one cube
Mezcal Negroni
- Mezcal
- Mezcal in place of gin
- Bitter or liqueur
- Campari and sweet vermouth
- Citrus
- Orange peel
- Method
- Stirred
Naked and Famous
- Mezcal
- Equal part mezcal
- Bitter or liqueur
- Yellow Chartreuse and Aperol
- Citrus
- Lime
- Method
- Shaken
Division Bell
- Mezcal
- Mezcal
- Bitter or liqueur
- Aperol and maraschino
- Citrus
- Lime
- Method
- Shaken
| Drink | Mezcal | Bitter or liqueur | Citrus | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M & M | 40ml | 40ml Amaro Montenegro | Twist only | Stirred, one cube |
| Mezcal Negroni | Mezcal in place of gin | Campari and sweet vermouth | Orange peel | Stirred |
| Naked and Famous | Equal part mezcal | Yellow Chartreuse and Aperol | Lime | Shaken |
| Division Bell | Mezcal | Aperol and maraschino | Lime | Shaken |
Next to the Mezcal Negroni and the Naked and Famous, the M & M is the plainest: two ingredients, no juice and no shaker.
Make it at home
The Spirit
MezcalMezcal is distilled in Mexico from cooked agave hearts, always 100% agave under Mexico’s standard, NOM-070, at 35 to 55% ABV, and counted at 40% in our recipes. Artisanal mezcal, cooked in pit or masonry ovens, is where the smoke usually comes from. Espadín is the common agave, poured from a split base under tequila in an Oaxacan Old Fashioned to a full 60ml in a Mezcal Margarita.
Master the Techniques
More to explore
Frequently Asked Questions
What does M & M stand for?
Who created the M & M?
How strong is an M & M?
Is another amaro allowed?
Difford’s lists the amaro as Amaro (e.g. Montenegro), so yes. A darker, more bitter amaro such as Cynar gives a heavier drink, and you may want a lighter hand with it.
Should it be stirred or shaken?
Can I make an M & M in a batch?
Is it like a Negroni?
Sources.
Correct as of 1 November 2026.
- Difford’s Guide, “M and M” (recipe 5588: 40ml mezcal, 40ml amaro (e.g. Montenegro), stirred, strained over a large cube, orange or lime twist; history: created in 2015 by Marco Montefiori of Amaro Montenegro, popularised by Robert Krueger at Employees Only; nickname Manager’s Meeting; 2.5 units).
- Difford’s Guide, “Montenegro Amaro” (strength of Amaro Montenegro: 23% ABV).
- NHS, “Calculating alcohol units” (the 14-units-a-week guidance and the units calculation).
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Naked and Famous
A Naked and Famous is 22.5ml each of mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, Aperol and fresh lime juice, shaken hard for 10 to 12 seconds and double strained into a chilled coupe, with no garnish. About 2.1 UK units. These are the IBA’s measures. Difford’s Guide says it was adapted from a recipe Joaquín Simó created in 2011 and is best known for its early appearance at Death & Co in New York. It takes the shape of the Last Word, four equal parts with fresh citrus, and shares Aperol with the Paper Plane. VinePair says Phil Ward’s Division Bell, which predates it, had already put mezcal with Aperol. Each part has one job. Mezcal brings smoke, yellow Chartreuse sweetness and spice, Aperol a soft bitter orange and lime the acid. Use yellow Chartreuse, not green: Chartreuse’s own pages give 43% ABV against 55%, so yellow is gentler, and the balance depends on it.
Division Bell
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Recipe by Jerry Can Spirits · Updated 2 November 2026