LONDON — Tequila- based margaritas and palomas have long been cocktail-menu staples, but their base ingredient — agave — is working its way into other cocktails for a modern twist on traditional drinks.

While tequila, made from the blue agave plant, is the best-known of the agave spirits, mezcal has also grown in popularity. It’s made from a wider variety of agaves across Mexico, and is roasted underground for a smokier flavor.

Alan Uresti Silva, U.K. brand ambassador for The Lost Explorer Mezcal, says that when he came to London from Mexico nine years ago, it was hard to find an agave cocktail on a bar list aside from a margarita.

Bartender Bobby Hiddleston, who co-founded London’s Swift cocktail bars, agrees. Back then, he says, he wouldn’t have been able to sell a mezcal cocktail. The change in attitude comes “off the shoulders of good quality tequila,” he says.

There’s more understanding today among bartenders about agave, says Elon Soddu, co-founder of Amaro bar, across town. There are also more variations of agave, which he says makes it easy to swap out almost anything in your cocktail for an agave alternative.

Both blanco tequilas (non-aged tequilas) and young, lighter-smoked mezcals have a bright grassiness that works well with citrus, says Hiddleston. Uresti Silva adds that these savory vegetal notes can balance or replace a gin or vodka for something more refreshing.

He also suggests using an anejo or extra anejo tequila or a smoky mezcal to replace a whiskey. An anejo tequila has been aged in an oak barrel between 1 and 3 years, while an extra anejo ages for a minimum of 3 years before being bottled.

Hiddleston says aged agaves work well as a substitute for darker spirits like brandy and cognacs.

Here, London bartenders offer recipes that replace everyday spirits with agave alternatives. Experiment with your own fave brands.

NIGHTINGALE: Swift Shoreditch bar

For this agave spin on a martini, Hiddleston uses a reposado tequila (aged 2 months to 1 year in oak barrels). He says the key is to bolster the sweetness.

40ml (1.4 oz) Tapatio Reposado tequila

25ml (0.8 oz) Reus blanco vermouth

5ml (0.2 oz) simple syrup

5ml (0.2 oz) Nardini Mandorola liqueur

2 dashes of Orange bitters

1. Stir all ingredients in a glass. Strain over a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an olive.

MEZCAL NEGRONI: Hacha Brixton

At this award-winning agaveria, bar manager Ben Guillou serves up a Mezcal Negroni, a drink traditionally made with London dry gin, Campari and vermouth, but he swaps out the gin for mezcal.

1 part The Lost Explorer Mezcal

1 part Campari

1 part Vermouth Bianco

1. Pour all ingredients over ice, stir thoroughly. Strain over a glass with ice and serve.

TOMATO BAMBOO: Amaro

Soddu brings a five-star bar experience to his west London bar Amaro. One of his bestsellers is the Tomato Bamboo. Traditionally made with sherry and two types of vermouth, this recipe switches a vermouth for a mezcal.

30ml (1 oz) Los Siete Misterios Doba Yej Mezcal

20ml (0.7 oz) Tio Pepe Fino Sherry

10ml (0.35 oz) 1757 Vermouth di Torino Extra Dry

25ml (0.8 oz) La Tomato liqueur

3 drops celery bitters

1. Stir all the ingredients in a mixing glass over ice. Pour in a chilled coupette with a cherry tomato garnish.

MEZCAL ESPRESSO MARTINI: El Bar de Cavita

Cavita, one of London’s top Mexican restaurants, features a basement bar where they serve up a spin on an Espresso Martini, adding coffee mezcal to vodka and freshly brewed espresso. Chef patron Adriana Cavita feels the mezcal brings flavor and complexity to the classic. “This coffee-based mezcal is made with Mexican coffee, which I think has a lot of aroma,” she says.

40ml (1.4 oz) Faie Quinoa vodka

25ml (0.8 oz) Ojo DeDios Café mezcal

50 ml (1.7 oz) espresso

15ml (0.5 oz) sugar

1. Make double espresso

Combine all ingredients in a shaker, add ice and shake vigorously until a foam forms.

2. Double strain into a martini/coupe and dust with cinnamon powder on top and serve

MAESTRO OLD FASHIONED: Mezcalito Brompton

This cocktail comes from Oliver Castilla- Tristan, co-founder of late-night cocktail bar and club Mezcalito Brompton. He does a twist on the classic Old Fashioned recipe of whiskey, sugar, angostura bitters and water.

“We’re using anejo tequila, which is aged tequila. We use a bit of cacao liqueur, and angostura as well,” he says, “bringing both flavors of vanilla, a bit of sweetness, but that robust taste of agave as well.”

40ml (1.4 oz) Maestro Dobel Añejo Tequila

15ml (0.5 oz) Créme de Cacao (Giffard)

2 dashes of Angostura bitters

2 dashes of Orange bitters

Orange peel and grated nutmeg

1. Mix all ingredients into a mixing glass full of ice cubes. Stir for about 20 to 30 seconds.

2. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with orange peel and a little grated nutmeg.