Named after the 1994 Pink Floyd album, the Division Bell blends mezcal, Aperol, maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice into one of the defining cocktails of New York’s agave renaissance. Created by Phil Ward, the drink was first served at Mayahuel, the groundbreaking East Village bar opened by Ward and Ravi DeRossi in 2009. The Division Bell quickly became a symbol of the bar’s mission to move agave spirits beyond the Margarita and into the broader world of cocktails.
Mayahuel was one of a handful of bars that changed the conversation around agave spirits in the United States. Its menu introduced drinkers to tequila and mezcal in a spectrum of styles, proving their versatility as bases for both new creations and reimagined classics. The Division Bell stood out as a modern, mezcal-driven riff on the Last Word that helped secure mezcal’s place behind American bars.
Why the Division Bell works
The Division Bell is built on the same framework that makes the Last Word and Paper Plane so enduring — the carefully balanced interplay of citrus, liqueurs, and base spirit. In the Division bell, mezcal provides a vegetal and mineral backbone, bold enough to carry the drink but restrained by the other elements.
Aperol contributes bitter botanical brightness, stepping into the role once held by Chartreuse in the Last Word, while maraschino liqueur adds a gentle sweetness with cherry notes. Fresh lime juice ties the drink together with acidity, balancing out the sweetness of the liqueurs. The result is a lean, modern agave cocktail that feels both timeless and distinctly of its era.
