Tequila and mezcal are not only nuanced, complex, sipping spirits, but they are also both great choices when it comes to mixing. There are countless cocktails featuring those two Mexican spirits, and if you didn’t realize it, they go well beyond the classic Margarita.
For a little refresher, the two spirits are very intertwined when it comes to flavor and overall makeup. But they aren’t the same spirit (hence the different names). In the simplest terms, all tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila. What that means: you might be surprised to learn that mezcal is the umbrella term for all Mexican-made, agave-based spirits.
There are a few key differences between the spirits. For one thing, tequila must be made with only Blue Weber agave. Mezcal can be made with more than forty varieties of agave. Tequila is also often made using contemporary techniques and the tequila is steamed to cook. Mezcal, on the other hand, is often made using more traditional methods. This includes roasting the agave underground in pits and even crushing the pinas (agave hearts) with a stone wheel called a tahona.
To add to that, tequila is known for its smooth, sweet, fruity flavor profile, while mezcal is known to have a smokier flavor profile. Regardless of their differences, both of these agave-based spirits are well-suited for mixing.
The best Mexican drinks you should know how to make
You already know that the two agave-based spirits are great for mixing (and so is Mexican beer), but did you know that there are a handful of classic cocktails that were created in Mexico? Below, you’ll find some of our favorites, from the Paloma to the Batanga and everything in between. Keep scrolling to see them all and mix them up with either spirit to add your spin on them.
Paloma
When it comes to murky cocktail history, the Paloma is one of the most mysterious. Some believe the drink was created by Don Javier Delgado Corona, owner of La Capilla in Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico created the drink. But many dispute this claim. All we do know is that Squirt Grapefruit soda became available in Mexico in the 1950s, and at some point, somebody mixed it with tequila and created the now iconic Paloma. It’s tart, refreshing, and highly flavorful regardless of its origins.
What you need to make the Paloma
- 2 ounces of tequila
- .5 ounces of freshly squeezed lime juice
- Topper of grapefruit soda
The Paloma recipe steps
1. Add ice to a highball glass.
2. Pour in the tequila and freshly squeezed lime juice.
3. Top with grapefruit soda.
4. Gently stir to combine.
5. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Michelada
According to legend, the Michelada was created by a man named Michel Ésper at Club Deportivo Potosino in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, in the 1970s. It’s believed that he was looking for a refreshing cocktail and asked the bartender for a drink made with beer, lime, and salt. First referred to as Michael’s Lemonade, the drink eventually morphed into the Michelada we know today. Also, the drink is much more than simply beer, salt, and lime (that’s a Chelada). Instead, the drink also contains other ingredients, including tomato juice, soy sauce, hot sauce, Tajín, clamato, and other spices.
What you need to make the Michelada
- 4 ounces of Mexican beer
- 4 ounces of tomato juice
- .25 ounces of fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1-2 dashes of hot sauce
- 1 dash of soy sauce
- 1 dash of Tajín
The Michelada recipe steps
1. Add ice to a salt-rimmed highball glass until chilled
2. Pour out the ice.
3. Pour in the beer, tomato juice, freshly squeezed lime juice, hot sauce, soy sauce, and Tajín.
4. Stir gently to combine.
5. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Margarita
There’s no Mexican-born cocktail more well-known than the classic Margarita. Not surprisingly, a drink this popular has multiple potential origin stories. One of the most well-known takes us to 1936. This is when a bartender named David Daniel “Danny” Negrete purportedly created the drink at Hotel Garci Crespo in Tehuacán, Puebla, Mexico. Supposedly, he had a girlfriend named Margarita who enjoyed salty cocktails, and he made the drink to please her.
What you need to make The Margarita
- 1.5 ounces of tequila
- 1 ounce of triple sec
- .75 ounces of fresh squeezed lime juice
The Margarita recipe steps
1. Add ice to a shaker.
2. Pour in the tequila, triple sec, and freshly squeezed lime juice.
3. Shake vigorously to combine.
4. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a Margarita glass.
5. Dip the glass into a salt-filled plate.
6. Strain the cocktail into the glass.
Batanga
While there are disputes as the whether or not Don Javier Delgado Corona created the Paloma, there’s no disputing his creation of the Batanga. This Mexican take on the Cuba Libre is made with tequila instead of rum, as well as a pinch of salt. It was created in 1961 at Corona’s iconic La Capilla in Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. The drink, consisting of tequila, cola, lime juice, and sea salt, is most famous for being stirred using the knife that was used to cut the lime used as a garnish.
What you need to make the Batanga
- 1.5 ounces of tequila
- .5 ounces of lime juice
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 4 ounces of cola
The Batanga recipe steps
1. Add ice to a highball glass.
2. Add the tequila, lime juice, salt, and cola to the glass.
3. Stir gently to combine.
4. Garnish with a lime wedge.
