With Cinco de Mayo rolling around again, many of the celebrations around the Mexican holiday shifted from their original roots and are now a time for imbibing and fellowship. For Cinco de Mayo, we’re back again with some adult beverage suggestions that we hope to add to the moment.
Here in the States, the holiday is typically celebrated with many famed Mexican beer and adult beverage companies running targeted campaigns around this time of year. Bars and restaurants will be packed with revelers seeking food and drink deals, and since the day falls on a Sunday, all-day events should be expected.
Since the 1800s, the day has somewhat focused on celebrating the connection between Mexican and American culture. In some cities, parties, musical performances, parades, and food will be a centerpiece. A fair point of criticism of the day is people not of Mexican descent putting on outfits connected to the country’s culture yet enforcing offensive stereotypes. Beyond Puebla, the holiday isn’t widely celebrated in Mexico.
The true root of Cinco de Mayo celebrates the victory of the Mexican military against French invaders at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza led his troops against the relatively advanced military might of the French soldiers, giving them a boost in morale. Military leaders in the United States came to the aid of Mexico, causing the French to vacate their occupation in 1867.
If one isn’t ready to brave the crowds, making drinks and meals at home is always an option for Cinco de Mayo. To grant our readers the power of choice, we have a selection of adult beverages below of all sorts. Hopefully, someone will find a new favorite among them.
Cheers!
—
Photo: Getty
1. Black Barrel Tequila Old Fashioned
Source:Hornitos
1 1/2 parts Hornitos Black Barrel
1 part simple syrup
1/2 part Amaro liqueur
2 dashes Bitters
Directions:
Combine simple Syrup, Hornitos Black Barrel Tequila, Amaro and Bitters. Add ice and stir. Strain over fresh ice and garnish your Tequila Old Fashioned with an orange peel.
2. Cadillac Margarita
Source:Codigo 1530
2 parts Código 1530 Reposado Tequila
1 part high-quality orange liqueur
3/4 part freshly squeezed lime juice
A splash of simple syrup (optional, for those who prefer a sweeter taste)
Garnish with a lime wheel or salt rim, as preferred
3. Classic Margarita
Source:LALO
Ingredients:
2 oz LALO Tequila
0.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.75 oz Orange Liqueur
Garnish: Lime Wheel
Method: Combine all ingredients into an ice-filled shaker. Shake until perfectly chilled and strain into an ice-filled, salt-rimmed rocks glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
4. Crown Mule
Source:Herradura
1.5 oz Tequila Herradura Reposado
4 oz. Q TROPICAL GINGER BEER
1 Fresh Lime
Directions: Build in a copper mug or rocks glass over ice. Pour in Tequila Herradura Reposado. Add Q TROPICAL GINGER BEER and stir gently. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime. Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge.
5. El Poblano
Source:Illegal Mezcal
2 oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven
2 slices Poblano peppers
1 oz lime juice
0.5 oz agave nectar
Chipotle salt:
3 tsp chipotle en adobo purée
1 cup kosher salt
Directions: Mix ingredients together and let dry. Add ingredients to shaker and shake. Strain into stemmed glass with chipotle salt rim. Garnish with a Poblano slice.
6. Frozen Watermelon Margarita
Source:Flecha Azul
2 oz Flecha Azul Tequila Blanco
1/2 oz Agave syrup
1/2 oz Fresh lime juice
2 Dashes of Angostura bitters
1-2 handfuls of watermelon cubes
Directions: Add two handfuls of ice and watermelon cubes into a blender and blend until it’s a chunky texture – do not over blend. Add remaining ingredients and give one or 2 quick blends. Pour into a rocks glass and garnish with a watermelon wedge.
7. Golden Lexus Margarita
Source:Casa Noble
Recipe:
2 oz Casa Noble Anejo
1 oz Yuzu Extract
1 oz Grand Marnier Cuvee Louis Alexandre
¼ oz Agave Syrup
Gold Flake
Directions:
Add all ingredients, except for the gold flake to a shaker tin with ice. Shake and strain to a rocks glass with a single large ice cube. Garnish with gold flake.
8. Grand Margarita
Source:Grand Marnier
Ingredients:
1 part Grand Marnier® Cordon Rouge
1 part Tequila
.5 part Fresh Lime Juice
Ice cubes
Lime Garnish
Method: Fill a wide, shallow dish with 2-3 mm of fine salt. Cut a lime in half at the width and rub around half of the rim of a margarita glass. Cut a thin, crosswise slice from one of the lime halves for garnish. Holding glass upside down, dip wet half delicately into the salt. Shake Grand Marnier, tequila and lime juice with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into glass and apply lime garnish to the rim.
9. Le Marg
Source:Bauchant
1.5 oz Bribon Tequila Blanco
1.5 oz Bauchant Orange Liqueur
1.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
Salgur (half sugar, half salt) for rim
Lime wedge for garnish
Rim a rocks glass with salgur. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake together. Strain into glass and garnish with lime wedge.
10. Light and Soul
Source:LaForce NYC
Ingredients:
2 oz Contraluz Cristalino Mezcal
½ oz Alma Finca Orange Liqueur
½ oz Nixta Licor de Elote
1 oz Lime Cordial
½ oz Hagave Spiced Nectar
Preparation:
Add all ingredients to a shaker. Shake with ice. Strain and serve into a rocks glass with chiltepin salt rim.
11. Mayenda Hibiscus Old Fashioned
Source:Mayenda
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz. Mayenda Blanco Tequila
0.25 Hibiscus-Agave Syrup
2 dashes Mole Bitters
Grapefruit Twist Garnish
*Alternative garnish: Salted Lime Wheel
METHOD:
Add Mayenda Tequila Blanco and the hibiscus-agave syrup to a mixing glass with ice. Add the bitters and stir together. Pour over ice into a fluted double old-fashioned glass and garnish with a grapefruit peel.
12. Menta Margarita
Source:Fresh Victor
3 oz Fresh Victor Three Citrus & Mint
1.5 oz blanco or reposado tequila, or mezcal (or 2oz:2oz for a stronger drink)
Garnish: rim of mint tea, superfine granulated sugar, & fine sea salt
Ice: cube or crushed / pebble
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker full of ice, shake well (to chill and dilute), and strain over fresh ice in the garnished glass.
13. Mezcaloma
Source:Dos Hombres Mezcal
2 oz Dos Hombres Mezcal
Grapefruit soda
.25 oz Agave Syrup
.5 oz Lime Juice
Garnish: Dehydrated grapefruit slice
Directions: Add Mezcal, Agave, and Lime Juice to your shaker and vigorously shake. Pour into a rocks glass and fill with Grapefruit Soda. Enjoy!
14. Mezcal Mule
Source:Gracias a Dios
Ingredients:
2 oz Gracias a Dios Mezcal Espadin
1 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Agave Syrup
3/4 oz Ginger Juice or Ginger Beer
Mix together the Gracias a Dios Mezcal Espadin, lemon juice, and agave syrup and mix together in a shaker tin with ice. Strain into a copper cocktail mug over ice and top with ginger juice or ginger beer.
15. Mojito by Bumbu
Source:Bumbu
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Bumbu Original
1.5 oz Guava Juice
Dash of brown sugar syrup
4-5 Lime slices
6 fresh mint leaves
Sprig of mint (garnish)
Soda Water
Method: Muddle 4-5 lime slices in glass. Add 6 fresh mint leaves (gently pressed in hand to release mint oil), Bumbu, guava juice and brown sugar syrup. Shake hard a few times. Pour into tumbler glass. Add a splash of soda water. Garnish with sprig of mint.
16. Palminado
Source:Smokehead
Ingredients:
50 ml Smokehead Tequila Cask Terminado
Grapefruit Juice
Lime Juice
Agave Syrup or Honey
Mix together the Tequila Cask Reposado, grapefruit juice, and lime juice. Shake together over ice. Strain and pour into glass. Top with soda water.
17. Peach & Thai Basil Margarita
Source:Tequila Herradura
Ingredients:
2 oz. Tequila Herradura Silver
1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
½ oz. Agave Nectar
Peach Slices, Muddled (or Fresh Peach Puree)
Thai Basil (or Basil & Mint)
Method: Muddle peach slices in a shaker. Add all remaining ingredients, including Thai Basil. Top with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a glass over fresh ice and garnish with Thai Basil.
18. Raspberry Citrus Margarita
Source:Bai
Ingredients:
3 oz Bai Raspberry Lemon Lime
3 oz Tequila
1 oz Raspberry Liqueur
Squeeze of a Lemon
Squeeze of a Lime
Instructions:
Rim the glass with the remaining orange wedge and salt. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add tequila, mango liqueur, Bai Malawi Mango, and citrus juices and shake. Pour into rimmed glass filled with ice and garnish with the left-over orange and lime wedges.
19. Reposado Spicy Margarita
Source:Patron
Ingredients:
2 oz PATRÓN Reposado
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 oz Agave Syrup
3 Seedless Jalapeño Slices
+Tajin Rim
+Lime Wheel for Garnish
Method:
Gently muddle the jalapeño slices in the cocktail shaker. Add tequila, lime juice, agave, and ice to shaker. Shake and strain into a rocks glass rimmed with Tajin over fresh ice. Garnish with lime wheel and one more jalapeño slice.
20. Spicy Margarita
Source:Espolòn
INGREDIENTS
1 part Espolòn Tequila Blanco
1 part Ancho Reyes Verde
3/4 part Fresh lime juice
1/2 part Agave syrup or simple syrup
1 tbsp Salt for rim (optional)
1 Lime wheel for garnish
RECIPE
Combine Espolòn Tequila Blanco, Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liqueur, fresh lime juice, and agave syrup into a shaker tin filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
Optional: Line the edge of the glass with salt. Garnish with a lime wedge.
21. Spicy Sunrise Pitcher
Source:Smirnoff
Ingredients:
12 oz Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind
12 oz Orange Juice
6 oz Lime Juice
Few splashes of Grenadine
Top with Lemon soda
Orange Slices and Maraschino Cherry
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher with ice and stir. Pour into serving glasses with fresh ice. Garnish with orange slice and maraschino cherry, and serve.
22. Tequila Sunrise Pitcher
Source:Dulce Vida
Ingredients:
1 750 ml bottle of Dulce Vida Pineapple Jalapeño
1.5 cup Fresh Lime Juice
1.5 cup Passion Orange Grapefruit Juice
1- 1.5 cup Water
Grenadine, for topping
Method: In a pitcher, add your Dulce Vida Pineapple Jalapeño with fresh lime juice, POG juice and water. Stir until combined. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour. When ready to enjoy, serve in glasses filled with ice. Top with your desired amount of grenadine. Garnish with a cherry and a lime wheel. Enjoy!
23. The Short King
Source:Gran Coramino
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Gran Coramino Cristliano
1.5 oz bourbon
1.5 oz fresh lime juice
3 oz mint syrup
Directions:
Create mint simple syrup using 1/2 sugar, 1 bunch mint and 2 cups water in a pot and bring to a simmer until sugar is dissolved.
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and serve over crushed ice with mint garnish.
24. Tres ’73
Source:Tres Generaciones
1 part Tres Generaciones AÑEJO
1/2 part Lemon Juice
1/2 part Simple Syrup
2 parts Champagne
Directions:
Use a citrus peeler to make a long lemon peel spiral and place it in a circle inside the glass. Fill the glass with ice and set aside. Combine tequila, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into prepared glass. Top with champagne.
25. Veracruzana
Source:Milagro
Ingredients:
2 Parts Milagro Reposado
3/4 Part Agave Nectar*
1 Part Fresh Lime Juice
4 Chunks Pineapple
2 Basil Leaves
1 Pineapple Slice
1 Basil Leaf
Preparation: Muddle pineapple and basil leaves in a Boston shaker. Add remaining ingredients and ice. Shake
vigorously and strain over into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with pineapple and basil.
