Happy Cinco De Mayo!
If you're throwing a party in honor of the celebratory day, don't forget to include some festive cocktails to take your fete up a notch. From smoky Barbacoas to spicy raspberry jalapeno margaritas, these cocktails put a spin on humdrum tequila-infused drinks.
Check out these seven essential Cinco De Mayo cocktails!
1. Barbacoa Cocktail: Whipped up with agave nectar, bell peppers, and more, the colorful Barbacoa cocktail, mixed up by bartenders at Sayulita at Skybar at the Mondrian in Los Angeles, has a smoky flavor courtesy of the Chipotle puree mixed inside.
2 oz. Del Maguey Vida Mezcal
1 oz. Demitasse Spoonful of Chipotle Puree
1/2 Lemon & Ginger Syrup
3/4 oz. Agave Nectar
4 Lime Wedges
Pinch of Bell Peppers
Directions: Muddle the ingredients together, mix in the Vida Mezcal and dump the drink into a double old fashioned glass. Finish off cocktail with beef jerky garnish.
2. Paloma Cocktail: Pink Taco's version of the traditional Mexican Paloma cocktail adds a twist with a bit of ginger beer. Simply mix together fresh grapefruit juice, tequila and ginger beer, stir in ice and serve.
1/2 Fresh Grapefruit
2 oz. Blanco Tequila
3 oz. Ginger Beer
Directions: Squeeze half of a fresh grapefruit into a glass, add the Blanco Tequila, pour in the ginger beer and strain or stir the drink over fresh ice.
3. Raspberry Jalapeño Margarita: This isn't your typical margarita. At Tequila Park at Hudson in New York City, restaurant goers sip on raspberry jalapeno margaritas, created with jalapenos, raspberries, lime juice, agave syrup and Grand Marnier.
1/2 oz. Tanteo Jalapeño
5 Muddled Raspberries
1/2 oz. Grand Marnier
1/2 oz. Lime Juice
1/2 oz. Agave Syrup
Directions: Rub the rim of the glass with rose sea salt. Combine all of the ingredients together and shake it. Strain it, pour it into a glass and top it off with two raspberries on a skewer. Mist with rose water and serve.
4. Kiwi Margarita: For a sweet spin on plain margaritas, serve your guests this sweet concoction, created with Avión tequila, fresh kiwi, brown sugar and fresh lemon juice.
2 oz. Avión Añejo
Handful of Fresh Kiwi
1 tsp. Brown Sugar
1 oz. Cointreau
1 Lime
Directions: Muddle the kiwi and combine the Avión Añejo, brown sugar and Cointreau together. Next, squeeze some fresh lime juice into the drink and garnish it with a kiwi wheel.
5. Avión Lemonade: For those who want to amp up their glasses of lemonade, this spiked Avion lemonade recipe mixed with tequila and agave nectar is sure to be a hit.
2 parts Avión Silver
1 part Fresh Lemon Juice
½ part Agave Nectar
Top with Club Soda
Directions: Mix together the Avión Silver, fresh lemon juice and agave nectar. Top it with club soda and serve.
6. The Mariachi: Add this festive cocktail to your party by mixing together tequila, black peach tea, white peach puree, lemon juice, brown sugar, cranberry juice and blackberries.
1 ½ oz. Avión Reposado
¾ oz. Black Peach Tea
¼ oz. White Peach Puree
¼ oz. Lemon Juice
¾ oz. Brown Sugar
¼ oz. Cranberry Juice
3 Blackberries
1 Blackberry and Lemon Wheel for garnish
Directions: Muddle the blackberries, then add in the rest of the ingredients and mix it. Complete the cocktail with a blackberry and lemon wheel for garnish.
7. Su Casa: This fresh signature cocktail created with George Clooney and Rande Gerber's Casamigos Tequila combines fresh grapefruit juice, lime juice, agave nectar and grapefruit soda.
1 1/2 oz. Casamigos Reposado Tequila
3/4 oz. Fresh grapefruit juice
1/3 oz. fresh lime juice
Few drops of agave
Directions: Put the ingredients in a shaker and pour over ice. Splash with San Pelligrino grapefruit soda and serve.