Check Out Our 2025 Cinco De Mayo Roundup
Spirit.Ed: Check Out Our 2025 Cinco De Mayo Roundup
Cinco de Mayo (May 5) is here, and per usual, many bars and those in the United States use this day to celebrate Mexican heritage, cuisine, and, of course, agave-based spirits. For this year’s roundup, SPIRIT.ED is highlighting several cocktails for the Mexican holiday, including a booze-free option.
I’ll keep it level with you, SPIRIT.ED readers. I almost didn’t make this roundup for various reasons. Chief among them is the fact that Americans should really learn the real history of Cinco de Mayo and realize it’s something that’s not even widely celebrated in Mexico. Further, I’ve been to Cinco de Mayo gatherings in the States over the years, replete with all kinds of stereotypes against Mexican people.
Here is what I wrote about the history of Cinco de Mayo last year:
1. Avocado Margarita
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Tequila CAZADORES Blanco (Made with 100% Blue Weber Agave)
1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
1 oz. Agave Syrup
1 Quarter of Avocado
1 Sprig of Cilantro
1 Slice of Roasted Jalapeño
Method: Muddle avocado, cilantro and jalapeño in a mixing glass. Add the rest of the ingredients with ice, then shake and serve over the rocks.
2. Casa Refresher
Recipe:
1.5 oz. Casamigos Cristalino Tequila
1 oz. Fresh Watermelon Juice or 4-5 Fresh Watermelon Chunks (1”)
.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
.25 oz. Simple Syrup
8-10 Mint Leaves
4 Dashes Peychaud’s® Bitters
Garnish Mint Sprig and Watermelon Chunk Through Skewer
Instructions: Combine all ingredients into a tin shaker. Muddle fruit/herbs. Add ice, shake vigorously, and fine strain into a rocks glass. Add fresh ice and garnish.
3. Cold Brew Margarita
Ingredients:
1 oz Cointreau
2 oz Tequila
1 oz of Cold Brew Coffee
0.5 oz of Oat Milk
Directions:
Add all ingredients into shaker and shake until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with espresso beans.
4. Cristalino Clear Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 parts Milagro Cristalino
1⁄2 part Drambuie
1⁄4 part dry vermouth
Grapefruit peel to garnish
Method: Combine ingredients over ice and stir. Strain into martini glass and garnish with grapefruit peel. Toast to warm weather with this updated old fashioned.
5. Henny-Rita
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Hennessy V.S
0.75 oz fresh lime juice
0.5 oz orange liqueur
.25 oz Agave syrup
Method:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake to chill. Strain into glass with ice
Optional: 2 dashes of Angostura bitters.
6. Horseshoe Carajillo
Ingredients:
1 oz Herradura Reposado
1 oz Licor 43
1.5 oz Fresh Espresso
0.5 oz Vanilla Syrup
1 dash Orange Bitters
Method: Shake all ingredients over ice. Fine strain into glass. Garnish with dehydrated orange slice and ground nutmeg or cinnamon to dust one half of the drink.
7. La Fresa
2 oz Ghost Tequila
1 oz Lime Juice
1oz strawberry infused simple syrup
topped with Ginger Beer
Garnish: Lime wheel
Directions:
Measure and pour all ingredients in a copper mule mug filled with ice. Stir gently. Garnish with lime wheel.
8. Loba Azul
Directons:
1.5 oz Hpnotiq
1 oz Lunazul Blanco
0.5 oz lime juice
0.5 oz agave syrup (10:1 agave to water)
5 jalapeno slices
Glassware: Double Rocks
Directions: In a mixing glass, muddle jalapeño with lime juice. Add the remaining ingredients. Shake until well chilled. Fill a Collins glass with ice, and double-strain the cocktail into the glass.
9. Loco Coco Cooler
Ingredients:
2 oz Loca Loka Blanco
3 oz Coconut Water
0.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
Garnish: Lime Wheel and Toasted Coconut Flakes
Directions: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and toasted coconut flakes.
10. Mango Marg-a-go-go
Ingredients:
2 oz Zarpado Blanco
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.5 oz Mango Syrup
2 dashes Scrappy’s Firewater Tincture
Black Sea Salt (*for rimming)
Garnish: Lime Wheel
Directions: Use a lime wedge and black sea salt to add a half salted rim to your rocks glass. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass with ice.
11. Margarita by Mi CAMPO
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz Tequila Mi CAMPO Blanco
½ oz Orange Liqueur
½ oz Agave Nectar
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
INSTRUCTIONS:
Measure all ingredients and combine in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and then strain over fresh ice in a double rocks glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
12. Mock-a-Rita Magic
Ingredients:
3oz Fresh Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Agave Syrup
1/4 oz Sweetened Ginger Juice
3 Drops Liquid Chlorophyll (optional)
Lime HOPWTR
Method: Add all ingredients except for the Lime HOPWTR to a tin shaker with ice. Shake with ice until cold and strain into a glass over ice. Top with Lime HOPWTR, garnish with a lime wheel + mint. Enjoy!
13. Paloma Viejo
Ingredients:
1.25 oz Mezcal Unión El Viejo
2 oz Grapefruit Juice
.5 oz Lime Juice
.5 oz Simple Syrup
3 drops Saline Solution (see below for preparation)*
1-2 dashes Firewater Tincture (optional)
Top with: 1-2oz Fever Club Soda
Preparation:
Shake: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain: Fine strain into a Collins glass with ice. Top & Garnish: Top with Fever Tree Club Soda Water and garnish with bruleed grapefruit (brulee with brown sugar on top of a half-moon grapefruit slice)
*Saline Solution:
20 grams of salt
80 grams of water
Preparation:
Measure Salt: Weigh out 20 grams of salt using a digital scale.
Measure Water: Weigh out 80 grams of water.
Mix: Combine the salt and water in the mixing container and stir until the salt is completely dissolved.
14. Passion Margarita
RECIPE:
2oz Cincoro Blanco
.75oz Passion Fruit Liqueur
.5oz Muddled Jalapenos
.5oz fresh lime
.25oz Agave
METHOD: Combine, shake and strain over ice
GARNISH: dehydrated lime and tajin rim
15. Piña Highball
Ingredients:
2 oz Wild Common Tequila Blanco
1.5 oz pineapple juice (Dole canned works best)
0.5 oz Lime juice
0.5 oz agave sweetener
2 oz dashes orange bitters
Soda water
Preparation:
Fill highball glass with ice. Combine Tequila, pineapple juice and lime juice stir. Top with soda water.
16. Ponche Caballero
Ingredients:
2 oz Partida Blanco
1.5 oz Tamarind Soda
1.5 oz Pineapple Juice
0.5 oz Agave Nectar
0.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Pineapple Wedge and Leaves
Directions: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and leaves.
17. Ranch Water
Ingredients:
2.5 parts Cantera Negra Silver Tequila
1.5 parts Fresh lime juice
Top with sparkling water
Instructions:
Combine Cantera Negra Silver and fresh lime juice in a rocks glass with ice. Top with sparkling water and stir gently. Garnish with a lime wheel.
18. Red House
Ingredients:
2 oz Jon Basil Reposado
1 oz Campari
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
0.50 oz Agave
Instructions:
In a mixing tin, combine all ingredients. Add ice, shake vigorously, and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist for a refreshing finish.
19. Rockstar RoséRita
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz Hampton Water Rosé
1 oz Santo Blanco Tequila
½ oz Lemon Juice
½ oz Lime Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
DIRECTIONS:
Run a lime wedge over the rim of a glass then dip in sugar and set aside. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into prepared glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a strawberry and lime wheel.
20. Sonoran Café
Ingredients – Serves 6
8 oz (1 part) Kilinga Bacanora Reposado
8 oz (1 part) Licor 43
8 oz (1 part) Espresso
8 oz (1 part) Water
2 dashes (per serve) Chocolate Bitters
How to make it:
1. Carefully measure all ingredients into a 1 Liter bottle. NB: The bottle WILL NOT
BE COMPLETELY FULL
(You can either reuse a glass wine or spirits bottle, or buy a nice swing-top bottle).
2. Place the bottle in the fridge and make it really cold before serving.
3. To serve, take lowball glasses and fill with cubed ice.
4. Add a couple of dashes of Chocolate Bitters to each glass then take the bottle
of cocktail from the fridge.
5. Shake the bottle really hard to froth up the drink. This is why the bottle was
not completely fIlled with liquid, as the liquid needs room to shake in the bottle.
21. St‑Germain Margarita
INGREDIENTS:
1 oz ST‑GERMAIN
1 1/2 oz PATRÓN Silver tequila
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
Lime wedge for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Combine the St‑Germain, tequila and fresh lime juice into a shaker. Add ice into the shaker and shake vigorously until it is nicely chilled. Strain over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
22. Sunset Margarita
1.5 oz Astral Tequila Blanco
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
.5 oz Agave Nectar
4 Pieces Watermelon
Garnish: Watermelon Wedge
How To Make:
Add Astral Tequila Blanco, fresh lime juice, agave nectar and watermelon into a shaker and muddle. Fill shaker with ice and shake, then strain into a rocks glass filled with ice, garnish with watermelon wedge.
23. The People's Margarita
(See note at bottom of the recipe)*
2 oz Teremana Blanco
3⁄4 oz Lime Juice
1⁄2 oz Agave Nectar
1 oz Pineapple Juice (to taste)
Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel, pineapple leaves & sea salt (as desired).
*From Thursday, May 1st through Saturday, May 31st, Teremana® will reimburse patrons at bars and restaurants for any appetizer, when they purchase any Teremana® Tequila cocktail. With more Americans feeling economic pressures – 84% of people report eating out less often due to inflation, according to a recent Morning Consult report – the “Guac on the Rock” program helps make going out for Cinco de Mayo more accessible. This year’s program goes beyond guacamole to cover all appetizers, making it more inviting than ever for fans to participate and celebrate together. In addition, Teremana® has partnered with DoorDash so consumers can also enjoy “Guac on the Rock” through delivery, bringing the celebration to wherever they are. This expansion reflects evolving consumer habits, with more people embracing the convenience and flexibility of takeout alongside traditional dining.
24. Toasty Cactus Pear Margarita
3oz Fresh Victor Cactus Pear & Pomegranate
1.5-2oz reposado or añejo tequila
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon or (.05oz cinnamon syrup)
1 cinnamon stick
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, add all ingredients, fill the shaker with ice, shake well (to chill and dilute) and strain over ice in a 10-12oz glass. Add cinnamon stick garnish and serve.
25. Tommy’s Margarita by Cheeky Cocktails
Ingredients
2 oz Tequila
.75 oz Cheeky Lime Juice
.5 oz Cheeky Agave Syrup
Garnish: Lime Wedge or Wheel
Method:
Add all ingredients into a mixing tin and fill with ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds and strain into a coup or rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.
26. Watermelon Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz Bribon Reposado
2 oz Watermelon Puree
2 oz Grapefruit Soda
Tajin & Chamoy (*for rimming)
Garnish: Watermelon Slice
Directions: Use chamoy and tajin to rim the top portion of a rocks glass. Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a watermelon slice.
Spirit.Ed: Check Out Our 2025 Cinco De Mayo Roundup was originally published on cassiuslife.com
