Although I can’t claim an iota of Mexican heritage, Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite holidays. The light-hearted fiesta, commemorating Mexico’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, brings no pressure to buy gifts, travel or endure awkward family reunions. The only expectation is to relish the gorgeous spring weather, fire up the grill and throw on a playlist of Maná, ranchero or mariachi. And, of course, Cinco de Mayo is the grandest excuse on the calendar to indulge in that sweet nectar of the agave plant, tequila (though for those looking to add some smoke to the party, there are other mezcals that can be good alternatives).
Chalk it up to “Breaking Bad,” but flashy tequilas, as expensive as a month’s rent in a hip Mexico City neighborhood, are trendier than ever. Luxury pours like the outrageously priced 1953 Tequila or Herradura 150 Aniversario may have their place for aficionados, but midrange tequilas promise the most value for making exceptional Cinco de Mayo cocktails.
Legendary New York City bartender Richie Boccato, owner of Dutch Kills in Queens, advises making sure any tequila you purchase, whatever the price, is additive-free. “Tequila should contain only three ingredients: water, blue agave and Champagne yeast,” Boccato explains. “Many of these glitzy celebrity-owned tequilas add colorants and flavorings, additives that tarnish taste and make for awful hangovers.” Fortunately, you can find plenty of affordable tequilas sans adulterants.
Margaritas are the most iconic Cinco de Mayo cocktail, but the roster of easy-to-make tequila concoctions is extensive. In San Antonio,a city that treats Cinco de Mayo the way New Orleans approaches Mardi Gras,bartender Ricky Zavala of Hotel Havana mixes up a twist on a Bloody Mary each May 5th. “The Maria Verde starts with a Bloody Mary base, but I add freshly juiced cucumber, lemon, green chili sauce and, of course, tequila. It’s a perfect mix of sweet and refreshing.”For boozy Cinco de Mayo inspiration, check out “Mezcal + Tequila” by Robert Simonson, available on Amazon.
Below, we’ve put together a primer on the different types of tequilas you should consider to start your celebrations as well as a list of midrange tequilas that will make your Cinco de Mayo cocktails pop as brilliantly as a “cohetón,” a traditional Mexican firecracker.
Tequila facts and classifications
Agave americana, a succulent native to Mexico and the southwestern United States, yields a range of distinct spirits, including sotol, mezcal and pulque, but tequila needs to meet certain criteria to be classified as such. Tequila must come from one of the five Mexican states of Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit or Tamaulipas. Also, Tequila must consist of 100% blue agave, a subspecies of agave americana, and is never smoked like other mezcals. Traditionally, Jalisco crafts the most coveted tequilas.
All tequilas must age in oak, but the duration of barreling time determines whether a tequila classifies as blanco, reposado or añejo. Oak aging changes the texture, flavor and color of tequila. Tequilas aged in oak for more than three years qualify as extra añejo, but tequilas in this rare fourth category tend to fall on the super-premium end of the price spectrum.
Tequila blanco
Tequila blanco, or white tequila, is the least aged and generally the most affordable. Clear in color, tequila blanco sits in oak for fewer than 59 days. Tequila blanco showcases the bright, vegetal flavors of agave most prominently. “People who love the flavor of agave should sip blancos neat,” says Karl Goranowski of BATA, an award-winning restaurant and cocktail bar in Tucson, Arizona. “With blancos you get those bright, citrusy notes as well as green undertones like fresh-cut grass and herbs.”
Boccato recommends choosing blancos for shaken tequila cocktails like margaritas or palomas. The agave flavors of high-quality blancos harmonize beautifully with citrus juice or orange spirits like Grand Marnier. For a lesser-known Cinco de Mayo cocktail to highlight the agave flavors of tequila blanco, try a Tommy Margarita. “The Tommy Margarita, one of my favorite tequila cocktails, encapsulates everything a good cocktail should be: a simple recipe that yields complexity and depth,” Boccato says.
Tequila reposado
Reposados, from the Spanish for “repose,” rest in oak barrels for two months to one year. As with bourbon, oak aging imparts flavors like vanilla and caramel into the liquor and ruddy brown colors. Goranowski likes to use reposados in heavier, stirred cocktails like tequila negronis. “Reposados, with their smooth flavor profile, are the most versatile of tequilas. You still taste the agave flavors, but they’re mellowed by the oak.”
Francisco Velasco, head bartender of El Lugar Cantina, a Oaxacan restaurant in Manhattan, recommends mixing reposado into a cantarito. “The cantarito is simple yet superb. Blend lime, orange and grapefruit juice in equal parts. Then add two shots of reposado and salt the rim. Chef’s kiss!” Velasco says. Try a margarita or paloma made with reposado next to one made with tequila blanco to see how the oak changes the flavor and texture of the tequila.
Tequila añejo
To qualify as añejo, Spanish for “aged,” tequila must rest in oak for one to three years. Añejos are the darkest in color and the most complex of the three major classifications. “Añejos are a spirit I recommend drinking neat to appreciate the baking spice and vanilla flavors from the oak,” Goranowski says. “You perceive less alcoholic heat in añejos, and many of them drink like Cognac.” While tequila purists might wince at mixing añejo into cocktails, they blend well into stirred or smoked cocktails. Swap out bourbon for tequila añejo for a tequila old-fashioned.
Before you break out the glasses, here are some of our favorite, affordable tequilas to mix drinks with this Cinco de Mayo.
The best tequilas to try, according to experts
The Herradura distillery in Amatitan, Jalisco, offers premium tequilas that rank among the most coveted bottles on the market. The company also crafts midrange tequilas of superb quality, such as the Herradura Reposado, which sits in American oak barrels for 11 months and imparts hues of amber and copper and tasting notes of anise, stewed fruit and baking spice. While this is a tequila worthy of sipping neat, it’s also a showstopper in tequila negronis, old-fashioneds or even Bloody Marys.
An additive-free blanco from Jalisco, Flecha Azul Blanco brims with classic agave notes like black pepper, citrus and cut grass. The light oaking adds subtle undertones of baking spice and honeyed fruit. This tequila’s crispness makes it an obvious choice for shaken tequila cocktails like margaritas and palomas. Flecha Azul is also smooth enough to, dare I say, throw back as a shot chased with salt and freshly cut lime.
While most tequilas age in American oak, Casa Noble rests in French oak, the same type of wood used to age Cognac or Burgundy wines. French oak imparts softer, more subtle flavors than its American counterpart. Look for notes of honey, gardenia and roasted nuts in pours of Casa Noble.
The Casa Noble distillery and farms are located in the Valles Region of Jalisco, a valley protected by UNESCO for its tequila-crafting traditions. Casa Noble is additive-free, and the certified organic blue agave is grown without herbicides or pesticides. Try Casa Noble in a noble spritz, a refreshing cocktail of Casa Noble Blanco, a dash of bitter Italian amaro like Compari, citrus juice and a splash of prosecco.
Crafted with agave grown in the highlands of Jalisco, Tapatio has produced world-class tequila since 1937. The distillery, helmed by the third generation of the Camarena family, has long been an emblematic Jalisco producer. The volcanic soil of the Jalisco highlands imparts mineral notes into the liquor, yielding a clean, crystalline spirit as well suited for sipping over ice as for mixing into cocktails. Tapatio is excellent for long drinks. Simply mix one to two shots in a highball glass with ice and citrus juice. Garnish with a lime peel or sprinkling of Tajín.
The Orendain family, owners of Jalisco-based Batanga Tequila, cleaves to the centuries-old tequila-making methods of hand-harvesting agave and cooking piñas in brick ovens. The brick-oven cooking slightly caramelizes the agave, imbuing the liquor with a bouquet of cinnamon, clove and baking spices. Batanga is double distilled, and the secondary distillation yields ambrosia as pristine and fresh as it is complex. Try this light, easy-drinking tequila in spritzes or shaken cocktails.
With its rich amber color and elongated bottle shape, you might mistake Dulce Vida Añejo for bourbon at first glance. Aged in American oak barrels, Dulce Vida Añejo does feature similar flavors to light bourbons like Basil Hayden. The vanilla, cinnamon and brown sugar bouquet dances on the palate with the agave’s citrusy sparkles — imagine candied mango or orange from a street vendor in Jalisco.
Dulce Vida Añejo is smooth enough to sip neat, and it’s a standout in cocktails like tequila negronis or honey traps. Substitute Dulce Vida Añejo for whiskey for a Cinco de Mayo twist on your favorite rye or bourbon libations. Add a slice of fresh or dehydrated citrus to cocktails to accentuate Dulce Vida Añejo’s fruit-forward flavor profile.
Mijenta is the only tequila company in Mexico with a B-Corp Certification, a designation awarded to companies aligned with sustainability and social justice. Each Mijenta bottle is fabricated from recycled glass, and the distillery uses byproducts of the agave plant to produce their labels. The brand also partners with Mexican environmental NGOs like the Women’s Earth Alliance. Mijenta’s sustainable practices make a difference in the spirit's flavor too, as their agave is cultivated sans pesticides or herbicides.
Mijenta Reposado ages in several types of wood — a medley of French oak, American oak and French acacia wood. Each type of wood imbues the spirit with distinctive, zippy citrus flavors like bergamot and yuzu. Like a well-made bourbon, Mijenta lingers on the palate, with the initial citrus burst followed by a parade of honey, stewed fruit and flowers.
Cinco de Mayo cocktail accessories
Take stirred tequila cocktails like old-fashioneds, negronis or rositas to the next level with ice worthy of a posh cocktail lounge. Simply pour water into the Rottay ice mold, wait a few hours, and voilà, you have gourmet ice spheres and large ice cubes. Use distilled water for flawless ice as clear as glass.
Rimming glassware with artisanal salts is another easy and affordable way to jazz up your Cinco de Mayo cocktails. Zavala recommends mixing kosher salt with common ingredients like hibiscus or citrus peels. Grind the dried peels or flowers in a coffee grinder and mix thoroughly with the salt. If you’re feeling more ambitious, Zavala suggests mixing charred corn husk with kosher salt.
Sal de Gusano, or agave worm salt — salt mixed with smoked and pulverized worms — is a Mexican specialty harkening back to pre-Columbian Indigenous gastronomy. The pungent salt adds a delightful smokey hit to the rim of tequila cocktails. Just don’t tell your guests how it’s made.