The Margarita may be the top cocktail at most restaurants, but there are plenty of other drinks that use tequila as well as mezcal and some of the less-known spirits from Mexico. Here are a few to try for this year to give your Cinco de Mayo celebrations some added flair.
Need some more tequila recipes to consider? Here’s a look back at our Cinco recipe picks from 2022.
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Luna Roja
Course Drinks
Keyword chile liqueur, lime, Prickly pear purée, sotol
1 ½ oz. Nocheluna sotol½ oz. Ancho Reyes chile liqueur1 oz. Prickly pear puree¾ oz. Lime juice¼ oz. Simple syrup
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker.
Shake well.
Fine strain into a coupe or stem glass.
The mixologists at Nocheluna created this recipe.
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Smoke on the Horizon
Course Drinks
Keyword agave, blanco tequila, lime, orange liqueur, pear, pineapple
2 oz. Blanco tequila1 oz. Pear nectar1 oz. Pineapple juice¾ oz. Agave nectar1 oz. Lime juice½ oz. Orange liqueur
Combine ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake.
Pour into Collins glass with ice.
Garnish with lime wheel.
The mixologists at ECHO restaurant in The King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort on Georgia’s St. Simons Island created this recipe.
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Oaxacan Revolver
Course Drinks
Keyword coffee liqueur, mezcal, tequila
1 oz. Vida mezcal¾ oz. El Jimador Reposado tequila¾ oz. Tia Maria coffee liqueur2 dashes Orange bitters2 dashes Bittermens mole bitters
Stir all ingredients.
Strain over large ice cube (or serve up).
Garnish with an orange twist.
The mixologists at Asheville Proper in Asheville, NC, created this recipe.
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Little Green
Course Drinks
Keyword Coco Lopez coconut cream, Crème de Cacao, lime, mezcal, mint, raicilla
1 ¼ oz. Mal Bien mezcal¾ oz. Estancia raicilla¾ oz. Coco Lopez¼ oz. Lime juice1 tsp. Tempus Fugit creme de cacao3-4 Mint leaves
Combine ingredients in a mixing tin and shake.
Strain into a Double Old Fashioned glass with crushed ice.
Garnish with mint sprig.
Mixologist Shannon Ponche created this recipe for Death & Co. in New York.
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Autumn Breeze
Course Drinks
Keyword bacanora, cloudy apple juice, honey, lemon, vermouth
1 ⅓ oz. Kilinga Bacanora Blanco½ oz. Vermouth1 ⅓ oz. Apple juice½ oz. Lemon juice¾ oz. Honey
Combine ingredients in a mixing tin and shake.
Strain into a coupe glass.
Garnish with dehydrated citrus.
The mixologists at Kilinga created this recipe.
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Mexico
Course Drinks
Keyword agave, chile liqueur, corn liqueur, Mexican whiskey, mezcal, tequila
¾ oz. Arette reposado tequila¾ oz. Abasolo Mexican whiskey½ oz. Ojo de Tigre mezcal¼ oz. Ancho Reyes chile liqueur¼ oz. Nixta corn liqueur¼ oz. Agave nectar3 dashes Chocolate mole bitters
Combine all ingredients in mixing tin or glass, add ice.
Stir and strain over 1 large ice cube on a rocks glass.
Garnish with an orange twist and grated dark chocolate.
The mixologists at Sweet Liberty in Miami created this recipe.
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Cantarito
Course Drinks
Keyword agave, blanco tequila, Grapefruit juice, grapefruit soda, lime, orange, Tajin
2 oz. Lunazul blanco tequila¾ oz. Grapefruit juice½ oz. Orange juice½ oz. Lime juice freshly squeezed1 tsp. Agave syrupPinch of salt3 oz. Grapefruit soda chilled.Tajín seasoning
Rim the cantarito cup (or a Collins glass) with Tajín seasoning.
Add the tequila, juices and salt into a shaker with ice.
Shake until well chilled.
Strain into the prepared cup over fresh ice.
Top with the grapefruit soda and stir gently to combine.
Garnish with a lime wedge.
Mixologist Lynnette Marrero created this recipe.
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Fly as a Kite
Course Drinks
Keyword Batavia Arrak, cinnamon, grapefruit, grapefruit liqueur, lemon, rosewater, tequila
1 oz. Blanco tequila½ oz. Giffard Pamplemousse liqueur½ oz. Batavia Arrack¾ oz. Fresh lemon juice¾ oz. Fresh grapefruit juice¾ oz. Mexican cinnamon rose water syrup*Mint and cinnamon for garnish
Add all ingredients and shake with ice.
Serve into a Collins glass.
Garnish with mint and a smoking cinnamon stick.
*For Mexican cinnamon rose water syrup:
3 Cinnamon sticks
32 oz. Water
48 oz. Granulated sugar
1 oz. Rose water
Toast up 3 cinnamon sticks in a saucepan on medium heat for 5 minutes (make sure to occasionally shake so it doesn’t burn). Add water and bring to a boil. Add the granulated sugar and stir till completely dissolved. Drop to a simmer for 20 minutes. Let rest for 30 minutes. Strain and add rose water.
Brandon Verkaik, bar manager at Maya in Charleston, SC, created this recipe.
The post Mixing With Mexican Spirits first appeared on Cheers.
