How To Give Coca-Cola A Refreshing, Boozy Mexican Twist

Coca-Cola is one of the bar world's most classic mixers. Fizzy, bright, and sweet, it's essential in drinks like the Cuba Libre, the similar rum and Coke, and a Basque favorite called the Kalimotxo (in which equal parts red wine and Coke are mixed over ice). While lesser known than the Cuba Libre, the Batanga is nearly a twin to the former, but it hails from Mexico and is made with tequila. With its refreshing, tart taste and the fact it comes together in a snap, the Batanga may just become your new go-to warm-weather cocktail.

To make it, salt the rim of a highball glass. Combine ½ ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice and 1½ ounces of blanco tequila in the ice-filled highball. Top the mixture with Coca-Cola. Use Mexican Coke whenever possible, which is often considered superior to American Coke. Traditionally, the drink is stirred with the same knife you used to slice your lime and then served with the knife directly in the drink. The story goes this knife garnish originated in a cantina in Jalisco, Mexico, where the bartender made the drink precisely in this fashion.

One of the best things about the Batanga is it isn't fussy (as exemplified by the knife addition). Yes, most recipes call for tequila blanco, but if all you have is Reposado or gold, go ahead and use it. If you don't want to salt the rim, fine. It's as bright, sweet, and tangy as Coca-Cola on ice, but with a grown up kick from the booze.

Different brands of tequila can be beautifully nuanced in flavor. What you taste in one company's silver tequila might be totally different from another's, and neither is going to taste like an aged anejo. But, generally, tequila could be described as smooth, a little sweet, with an often spicy, fruity finish. This makes it an excellent liquor to combine with soda. Clearly, the Batanga shows that tequila and Coca-Cola play well together, but tequila's versatility extends beyond cola.

If you like refreshing cocktails over sweet ones, plain club soda or seltzer water is a great mixer to tequila. You'll get the flavor of the tequila with the effervescence of club soda. A squeeze of lime is always a great garnish for this simple drink. Lemon lime soda like Sprite or 7UP is also excellent with the spirit, as the citrus flavors accentuate the flavors of the tequila. When you combine grapefruit soda (like Squirt) with tequila, you basically get a Paloma, which is one of my personal favorites. I garnish mine with slices of lime and grapefruit. Orange soda and pineapple soda are also great with tequila, giving you a drink that tastes tropical and fresh but requires none of the hard work that often accompanies a tropical drink; which often involve, for example, syrups, blenders, and complicated fruit garnishes.