No Tequila? No Problem! Five Alternate Cocktails to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

Victory Royale

Recipe Courtesy of Jason Hedges, Beverage Director at Laurent Tourondel Hospitality and Co-Founder of Bar-IQ.Com

Ingredients:

•  2 oz Cognac
• .75 lime juice
• .5 oz Cointreau
• .5 oz honey syrup
• Top with sparkling wine

Garnish: 

Method:

1. Shake all ingredients with ice except for the sparkling wine. 
2. Double strain into coupe and top with sparkling wine.
3.  Garnish with an orange twist.

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the anniversary of Mexico’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. With a potential tequila shortage looming here is a play on a classic Margarita using France’s native spirit, Cognac! – Jason Hedges

G&T Punch

Ingredients:

• 1.5oz Empress 1908 Gin
• .5oz Ume Japanese Plum Liqueur
• .5oz Lime Juice
• 3oz Fever Tree Tonic
• Garnish: Lime Wheel

Method:

• In Collins/Highball glass, pour lime juice.
•  Add ice to the rim of the glass. Pour tonic. 
• Gently pour empress gin, followed by Ume. 
• The result will be a 3-layer cocktail, garnish with a lime wheel. 

The Ume enhances this already elevated Gin and Tonic with notes of delicate stone fruit and a vibrant purple, making for the perfect way to celebrate the springtime holiday! – Christian Orlando

Ketel One Summer Mary

Ingredients:

• 1.5 Oz Ketel One Vodka
• 3.3 Oz Pineapple Juice
• 1 Stalk of Coriander leaves
• 1 Stalk of Mint Leaves
• Jalapeño slices
• .3 oz Apple Cider Vinegar
• Bar spoon of agave syrup

Garnish: 

Method: 

• Take a clean Highball Glass, blend all ingredients in a juicer, and pour over ice.
• Finish with a mint bouquet. 

Zacapa Rum Sour

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz Zacapa No. 23 Centenario Rum
• 3/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
• 3/4 oz Simple Syrup
•  Mint, Citrus Wedge and/or Edible Flower Garnish

Method: 

• Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker with ice.
• Shake hard and pour over ice in a rocks glass. 
• Garnish with mint and citrus. 

Lynnette Marrero, Brand Ambassador for Zacapa Rum, shared that sours are one of the oldest cocktail families and are very popular because they are the perfect combination of sweet and tart flavors, just like Margaritas typically are! She advises that one can make the sour with any spirit but the Whiskey Sour became one of the most famous. Lynnette describes that Zacapa Rum is perfect in this cocktail because its extensive aging process in American and Spanish Oak barrels imparts the rum with beautiful spice notes, caramel, vanilla, and other notes also seen in whiskey. 

Last Word

Ingredients:

•  ¾ oz Faccia Brutto Spirits Centerbe
•  ¾ oz Maraschino Liquor
•  ¾ oz Lime Juice
•  ¾ oz Stray Dog Gin
• Garnish: Lime Wheel

Thierry Sighel, Regional Director of Operations for Restaurant Associates, shares that with the potential tequila shortage, The Daiquiri is a great substitute as it contains lime and a sweetener just like a Margarita, but replaces the tequila with rum. The same stands for a Whiskey Sour, replacing the tequila of a Margarita with whiskey, and adding in an egg white.