Shake it up for Cinco de Mayo - Four tequila cocktails to try

As the Mexican holiday Cinco de Mayo approaches, the Mezza Luna team is helping you mark the occasion by sharing four cocktail recipes crafted with Don Julio, each offering a distinct take on the spirit of the celebration.

SANTORINI SUNSET

“With this one, you’re building something bright and inviting,” Mystic Group Cluster Manager Santosh Pradhan explained. “The idea is to let the fruit come forward but still allow the tequila to hold its structure.”

INGREDIENTS

45ml Don Julio Reposado

20ml Malibu

15ml passion fruit pulp

1 strawberry

20ml lime juice

15ml clear syrup

Ice

DIRECTIONS

Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice.

Shake well and serve. “When you shake, you’re not just chilling the drink, you’re blending those flavours so nothing feels separate. Once you pour, what you should get is a smooth, tropical cocktail with just enough acidity to keep it balanced,” Pradhan shared.

ZA’ATAR BREEZE MARTINI

“This is where we start to play with contrast,” Pradhan noted. “You’re introducing something savoury into a space people usually associate with citrus and sweetness.”

INGREDIENTS

60ml za’atar spiced tea

45ml Don Julio Reposado

20ml lime juice

20ml clear syrup

Pinch of za’atar

DIRECTIONS

“Shake it well with ice, then strain it clean into your martini glass,” he advised. “The finish is important here, [add] just a light sprinkle of za’atar. It adds aroma first, then flavour. It’s subtle, but it changes the entire experience of the drink.”

BLUE CAPRI

“This one is more expressive,” Pradhan said. “It’s the kind of cocktail that catches your eye first, then keeps your attention with the flavour.”

“Once you shake and strain, you’ll see that vibrant colour come through,” he added. “But what matters is the balance, the citrus cuts through the sweetness, and the tequila keeps it grounded.”

INGREDIENTS

45ml Don Julio Reposado

5ml Blue Curaçao

20ml lime juice

20ml clear syrup

30ml Malibu

DIRECTIONS

Add all your ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.

Give it a solid shake to properly chill and combine the ingredients.

Strain the mixture through a fine strainer to keep the texture smooth, and pour it into a chilled cocktail glass.

CARDAMOM KISS

As a little brawta, Pradhan leans into warmth and depth with the cardamom kiss.

“This one is a little more layered,” he explains. “It’s still refreshing, but there’s a complexity that builds as you drink.”

INGREDIENTS

60ml Don Julio Reposado

60ml pineapple juice

Pinch of cardamom

30ml lime juice

10ml clear syrup

DIRECTIONS

Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain.

“The cardamom should never overpower. It’s there to sit in the background, giving the drink a gentle spice that works with the sweetness of the pineapple and the sharpness of the lime,” said Pradhan.

lifestyle@gleanerjm.com