Sip into Cinco de Mayo: A Guide to the Best Festive Cocktails

As Cinco de Mayo approaches, it’s the perfect time to celebrate with a toast to Mexican culture and heritage. This festive holiday is not just an opportunity to enjoy vibrant parades and lively music, but also a chance to explore the rich flavors of Mexican cocktails. Whether you’re planning a small gathering at home or hosting a grand fiesta, our guide to the best Cinco de Mayo cocktails will help you elevate your celebration. From classic margaritas to innovative mezcal concoctions, we’ve rounded up a selection of drinks that are sure to impress your guests and add an authentic splash of flavor to any celebration. So, grab your shaker and some fresh limes, and let’s dive into the spirited world of Cinco de Mayo cocktails.

PATRÓN Reposado Spicy Margarita

2 oz PATRÓN Reposado
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 oz Agave Syrup
3 Seedless Jalapeño Slices
+Tajin Rim
+Lime Wheel for Garnish

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.

Party Punch

2 Cups Dos Hombres Mezcal
1 ½ Cups Pomegranate Juice
½ Cup Fresh Orange Juice
¼ Cup Lime Juice
⅛ Cup Orgeat Syrup
2 Cups Blood Orange Soda

Add all ingredients to a punch bowl, add ice, stir to incorporate. Garnish with orange slices, lime slices, and pomegranate seeds. Enjoy with friends!

Hibisco Disco Margarita

1 ½ ozKilinga Silvestre (infused with Hibiscus tea)
¾ ozElderflower Liqueur (St Germain)
½ ozFresh Lime juice

Infuse Kilinga Silvestre Bacanora with Hibiscus ‘tea’. ***

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice.
Garnish with a twist of lime for a more ‘zingy’ nose, or leave ungarnished if you prefer.

*** Add dried hibiscus leaves ‘tea’ to the Kilinga and leave for about an hour. Give the mix a brief stir halfway through the process, and just before straining. DO NOT HEAT THE MIXTURE - the alcohol will do the job of extracting the flavors you need.

Once infused, strain out the hibiscus leaves using a coffee filter (ideally) or a fine cocktail strainer. If you’re using hibiscus tea bags, gently squeeze them out and remove.

Keep your infused hibiscus infused Kilinga in a glass bottle or jar in the fridge to keep away from natural light and in perfect condition until ready to use.

How much hibiscus you need will depend on what you can get hold of, what your flavor preferences are and how many you’re making! As a guide to get you started:

Use 4 - 5 heaped teaspoons or 4 - 5 hibiscus tea bags per bottle of Kilinga.

You most likely won’t want to infuse a whole bottle, so 1 tea bag or heaped teaspoon of hibiscus will do you for 3 -4 cocktails.

Paloma Rosado

1 1/2 parts Milagro Reposado
1/2 part fresh lime juice
4 parts pink grapefruit soda
3 Pink Grapefruit Segments
Kosher Sal

Pour all ingredients into a highball glass over ice and stir. Garnish with speared pink grapefruit segments and half kosher salt rim. Milagro Reposado is aged 2-4 months in American oak barrels, delivering warm and subtle notes of caramel and spice, complimenting any recipe.

Frozen Watermelon Margarita

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

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.

Casamigas Spicy Cucumber Margarita

1.5 oz. Casamigas Jalapeño Tequila
.75 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
.5 oz. Simple Syrup
3 Cucumber Slices
1 Dash Scrappy's® Firewater Bitters or 1 Jalapeño Slice

Garnish Cucumber Wheel and Jalapeño Slice through Skewer Combine all ingredients into a tin shaker. (Muddle jalapeño if using). Add ice, shake vigorously and fine strain into a rocks glass. Add fresh ice and garnish.