3 Playful Agave Cocktails for Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is one of the best times to celebrate Mexican culture, food, and community. Often mistaken as Mexico’s national Independence Day, it actually commemorates Mexico’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862. It was promoted by Mexican-Americans as a celebration of their culture, and the excitement has grown from there. Cinco de Mayo festivities often feature plentiful servings of tacos and guacamole, accompanied by Mexican beer, classic Margaritas, or variations on the Margarita recipe.

While nothing is wrong with sticking to the basic, tried-and-true margarita, we’ve rounded up some new riffs from New York City bartenders. The first is a creamy punch, perfect for enlivening a crowd with a fiesta spirit. The second is a tequila-mezcal tropical sipper. And a third is a seasonal, mezcal-based riff on the classic Negroni.

Horchata Milk Punch

The Cabinet, located in Manhattan’s Alphabet City neighborhood on the Lower East Side, has a selection of over 900 agave spirits, from traditional tequilas to artisanal mezcal from Oaxaca, and a dedicated menu offering six unique riffs on the Margarita. But the drink that caught our eye is made with horchata, that creamy, sweet, milk (but dairy-free) drink that’s popular in Mexico and throughout Central America.

This punch requires a larger-scale base, perfect for serving a crowd. Alexandra Vargas, bartender at The Cabinet, drew inspiration from memories of avena, a Colombian oatmeal smoothie she grew up drinking, for this creamy, comforting cocktail. “I wanted to recreate something familiar, so I turned to horchata,” she says. “It has a similar milky texture and a hit of cinnamon, which allows me to capture the spirit of the avena with my own twist.”

Yields about 30 cocktails

• 1 cup white rice
• 3½ cups hot water
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1½ cups coconut milk
• 1 cup oat milk
• 3 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¾ cup sugar
• 375 ml reposado
• 6 oz. fresh lemon juice
• Canelita or other small cinnamon cookie garnish

Rinse the rice well in a sieve and shake to drain. In a container, combine the rice, cinnamon sticks, and hot water. Soak for 30-45 minutes. Transfer the soaked rice, cinnamon, and soaking water to a blender. Add the coconut milk, oat milk, vanilla, and sugar. Blend on high for about 2 minutes, until completely smooth. Pour the blended mixture into a clean container. Stir in the reposado tequila and lemon juice. The mixture will begin to curdle—this is expected and necessary for clarification.

Slowly strain through a fine-mesh strainer, then through cheesecloth, or a coffee filter, into a clean container. If the liquid is still cloudy, pass it through the filter a second time until clear.

Transfer the clarified liquid into bottles and keep refrigerated. Makes approximately 5 liters.

Serve in 5-oz. portions in a low-ball glass over ice. Garnish with a cookie, if desired.

Clarified punch can be made up to three months in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

The Fabulous Fox

Known for its inventive and often cheeky cocktail menu, Foxtail at the Arlo SoHo in New York City serves this layered tequila and mezcal punch as both an individual cocktail and on a larger scale for a crowd in its 1950s-style speakeasy.

The combination of tequila and mezcal builds a strong, spirited profile, according to Arlo SoHo bar director Razel Rustia. “The Herradura blanco has a crisp finish that really brightens and accentuates the smoke of the Del Maguey mezcal. This combination of clean smokiness adds a layer of depth that brings out the floral flavors in the Aperol and natural fruit.” The result? A fun cocktail with an unexpected twist.

• ½ oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. passionfruit juice
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 oz. Aperol
• 1 oz. Herradura blanco
• 1 oz. Del Maguey Vida mezcal
• Ground cinnamon, for garnish

Add all ingredients to a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into a teacup. Garnish if desired.

TIP: If scaling up to make a punch, first multiply the ingredient quantities by the number of servings. Skip the shaker and mix all ingredients in a large bowl. To account for water dilution that occurs in the shaken version, add 20% of the total volume in water to the mix before adding ice and serving.

Tee Time Negroni

Bateman's on the Lower East Side is serious about its mezcal Negronis. Every three months, a new seasonal variation hits the menu, and this spring it’s all about the pleasantly tart, slightly astringent rhubarb. Paired with oolong tea-infused vermouth, it's reminiscent of a refreshing iced tea, according to creator and bartender Sonny Stollman. “Banhez mezcal brings fruity and floral notes to the fore, complemented by the bitter vermouth and balanced by the amaro.” Not an average amaro, this one is “sfumato” meaning smoked in Italian, bringing a distinct woody-smoke note to the drink.

• 1 ½ oz Banhez Ensamble mezcal
• ¾ oz. oolong Dolin dry vermouth (recipe below)
• ½ oz. Cocchi di Torino sweet vermouth
• ½ oz. Cappelletti Amaro Sfumato Rabarbaro
• Lemon twist, for garnish

Oolong Dry Vermouth

• 1 cup Dolin dry vermouth
• 3 oolong tea bags

Add tea bags to dry vermouth in a clean container. Tightly seal and infuse at room temperature for 24 hours. Discard tea bags. Stir all ingredients in a rock glass. Add a large rock and lemon twist.