Cinco de Mayo cocktails

A classic Margarita

It’s been served this way for decades, so why reinvent the wheel? Here’s our tips for the ultimate traditional Margarita.

You’ll need:

• 50ml (1.75oz) blanco tequila (we love the crispness of Casamigos)

• 25ml (0.75oz) triple sec

• 20ml (0.6oz) lime juice

• Two lime wedges

• Salt

• Ice

To make:

• First, prepare your coupe glass by rubbing a lime wedge across the rim and rolling it in salt

• Next, add ice to a shaker and pour in your tequila, triple sec and lime juice

• Shake until cold

• Strain into your prepared coupe glass

• Garnish with the remaining lime wedge

Spicy Margarita

Want to turn up the heat a little? Impress your friends (or just spice up your own treat) with one simple trick.

You’ll need:

• 50ml (1.75oz) tequila (we love Don Julio Blanco for this)

• 25ml (0.75oz) triple sec

• 20ml (0.6oz) lime juice

• Jalapenos (to muddle)

• Two lime wedges

• Ice

• Salt

To make:

• First, prepare either a rocks or coupe glass by rubbing a lime wedge across the rim and rolling it in salt

• Muddle slices of jalapenos in the bottom of a cocktail shaker – depending on how spicy you like it, increase the number of peppers, but many mixologists recommend between two and four

• After muddling, measure your remaining ingredients and add them to the shaker, along with ice

• Shake until cold

• Strain into your glass

• Garnish with a lime wedge

Paloma

Our expert Paloma recipe brings all the flavours together for what just might be the new signature tequila drink. Let the summer of the Paloma begin early.

You’ll need:

• 50ml (1.75oz) Don Julio Blanco

• 20ml (0.6oz) pink grapefruit juice

• 10ml (0.3oz) lime juice

• 10ml (0.3oz) sugar syrup – 2 parts sugar dissolved over heat into 1 part water

• Grapefruit soda to top

• 1 wedge of grapefruit

• Ice

To make:

• Fill a glass with ice

• Add your tequila, juices and syrup

• Stir well

• Top with soda and the grapefruit wedge, and enjoy

Tequila Martini

You’ll need:

• 60ml (2oz) Casamigos Blanco tequila

• 30ml (1oz) Cinzano Bianco vermouth (or any other white vermouth)

• 4 drops of margarita bitters

• 1 lemon peel twist

• Ice

To make:

• Add your tequila, vermouth and bitters to a mixing glass filled with ice

• Gently stir to combine the flavours

• Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon peel twist

Mexican Mule

A tequila twist on the classic vodka-based Moscow Mule, the warming flavours of tequila go perfectly with the tang of the lime and the fire of the ginger beer.

You’ll need:

• 60ml (2oz) Casamigos Reposado

• 15ml (0.5oz) fresh lime juice

• 10ml (0.3oz) sugar syrup – 2 parts sugar dissolved over 1 part water

• 90ml (3oz) ginger beer

• 1 lime wedge

• Ice

To make:

• Add your tequila, juice and syrup to a highball glass filled with ice

• Stir the ingredients gently

• Top with ginger beer and garnish with a lime wedge

The Chilli Martini

Martinis might be famous for being served shaken, not stirred courtesy of James Bond, but this one is served spiced.

You’ll need:

• 45ml (1.5oz) vodka

• 15ml (0.5oz) simple syrup – 1 part sugar dissolved over heat into 1 part water

• 15ml (0.5oz) lime juice

• 60ml (2oz) pineapple juice (peach juice or mango juice will also work!)

• 1-2 slices of chilli

• 1 lime wheel

• Ice

To make:

• Muddle your chillis with the simple syrup in a cocktail shaker

• After muddling, add in ice and pour in the rest of your ingredients

• Shake vigorously for around 15 seconds

• Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wheel on the rim

A Dark and Stormy

The rum classic is full of zingy and fiery flavour – perfect for Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

You’ll need:

• 50ml (1.75oz) dark rum (we love Captain Morgan)

• 25ml (0.75oz) fresh lime juice

• Two dashes of orange bitters (optional)

• 5ml (0.15oz) sugar syrup

• 100ml (3.5oz) ginger beer

• 1 lime wedge

• Ice

To make:

• Fill a highball glass with ice

• Add your rum, juice, syrup and (optional) bitters

• Stir gently and top with ginger beer

• Garnish with a lime wedge