Celebrating Cinco de Mayo? Tequila is the obvious spirit of choice for this Mexican holiday. But this year, bypass the endless line of shots and class up the occasion with these elevated tequila-based cocktails. We’ve even included the recipes if you’re celebrating ‘en casa’.
This vibrant, summer-ready cocktail is the perfect beverage to sip on Kensington Market's buzziest patio. Crushed pink peppercorns line the rim for a spicy take on the traditional salted rim.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Altos plata tequila
- 2 oz fresh pink grapefruit juice
- 1 oz lemon juice
- ½ oz. agave syrup
- Salt and pink peppercorns for rim
- Garnish with half a pink grapefruit
Method
Rim the glass with salt and crushed pink peppercorns. Pour all the ingredients except the grapefruit juice into the glass. Fill the glass with ice and finish with the pink grapefruit juice.
This is an herbal, strong sipper. The vermouth and amaro both have floral herbaceousness that marries the Chartreuse to the agave well. It’s dry and boozy, but it goes down so easy.
Ingredients
- 1 oz Jaral de Berrio mezcal
- ½ oz Martini dry vermouth
- ½ amaro Grecanico
- ¼ Green Chartreuse
- 1 dash bitters
- Lemon, for garnish
Method
Add all ingredients to mixing glass, then stir with ice. Strain into a coupe glass. Finish with a lemon twist.
Mezcal Old Fashioned
Macho Radio Bar
This CityPlace cantina puts a Tex-Mex spin on the classic Old Fashioned cocktail. Mezcal gives the beverage a smoky character, balanced by the sweetness of agave nectar.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Jaral de Berrio mezcal
- .25 oz agave nectar syrup
- 3 dashes of Angostura bitters stirred
- Orange zested rim
Method
Combine all ingredients with ice and stir. Strain into an old fashioned glass over ice. Garnish with orange peel.
This cocktail's citrus-forward character elevates the classic tequila-and-lemons pairing to a refined level. Fresh lemon juice meets Grand Marnier's orange flavour, rounded out by Siempre Tequila's peppery sweetness.
Ingredients
- ¾ oz Siempre tequila
- ¾ oz Palomino sherry
- ¾ oz Grand Marnier
- ¾ oz Lemon juice
- Spray of avocado leaf infused absinthe (avocado leaf is steeped in Dillon's Absinthe for 8 hours)
Method
Shake Siempre, Palomino sherry, Grand Marnier and lemon juice. Pour straight up. Spray with avocado leaf infused absinthe immediately before serving.
The traditional margarita recipe is elevated with the addition of floral St-Germain and a spicy kick of jalapeño. Cucumber puree helps keep this cocktail cool and balanced.
Ingredients
- 1½ oz Altos plata tequila
- ½ oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur
- ¾ oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz cucumber purée
- ½ oz agave nectar (diluted with water 1:1)
- 6 dashes jalapeño chili tincture
- Chili salt for rim
Method
Create half a rim on a rocks glass with chili salt. Place ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain on fresh ice. Garnish with a long cucumber slice.
El Caballito's resident tequila expert Eder Sanchez crafted this cocktail with plenty of kick, thanks to an infusion of Árbol peppers, pink peppercorn and a chili-seasoned rim.
Ingredients
- 1½ oz Tromba Blanco
- ½ oz Árbol pepper infused Aperol
- ½ oz pink peppercorn infused agave
- ¾ oz grapefruit juice
- 1 oz lime juice
- Dash of celery bitters
Method
Rim glass with Tajin chili powder. Shake all ingredients. Pour and garnish with grapefruit.
Jessica Blaine Smith
