Drink deeply from an ice-cold glass of tart and earthy effervescence with the Batanga cocktail.
A spirit and a soda, when brought together by the miracle of ice cubes, can create magic, a sorcery that can last for decades and even centuries. Tonight’s concoction is one such mixture and takes its place in a long line of simple, fizzy favorites.
The Batanga is a gift from Mexico to the cocktail world. Not unlike another boozy cola combo, the Cuba Libre, today’s recipe swaps out the tropically-tinged rum in the Libre for an agave-forward and peppery blanco tequila. The result is a thirst-quenching, bubbly elixir that will instantly cure any dry throat on a hot day.
Sometime in the late 1950s or early 1960s, the Batanga first appeared in Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. Invented by Don Javier Delgado Corona at his cantina La Capilla, this Southwestern delight includes the tradition of stirring it with a knife used to cut limes, chiles, avocados and other ingredients that help give this cocktail a distinct and subtle richness.
What is the best tequila to use in a Batanga cocktail?
You’ll want to use a white or silver spirit—a blanco tequila—as the base for your Batanga. The earthy, grassy and smooth peppery notes found in every clear sip will meld beautifully with the tart lime juice and refreshing, spiced, caramel-tinged cola. Some excellent choices to consider when shopping are Casamigos, Espolòn, Cazadores and Patrón.
Ingredients
- Pinch of salt for rimming the glass
- 2 ounces tequila blanco
- 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 to 6 ounces chilled cola
- 1 lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Take a lime wedge and run it around the rim of a collins or highball glass. Dip the moistened rim into a plate of salt to coat it and fill the glass with ice cubes.
- Pour the tequila and fresh lime juice over the ice. Top the drink with chilled cola, leaving a little space at the top.
- Stir gently a couple of times to mix and garnish with a fresh lime wedge.
Nutrition
What glassware and garnish are used?
Rub the rim of a chilled highball glass with a lime, then coat it with salt. Fill the glass with ice, gently stir your ingredients together with a barspoon, then garnish with a fresh and juicy lime wedge on top.
What is the best dark cola to use?
You can opt to mix your Batanga with a tried and true Coca-Cola, Pepsi, or RC Cola, and they’ll all work nicely. But for a more authentic experience, grab some bottles of Mexican Coke, which is a Coca-Cola produced south of the border with cane sugar instead of fructose.
Similar drinks to the Batanga cocktail
If the work day has been a long one, and you’re now in the mood for some liquid relief, perhaps a simple bubbly and boozy mixture is what’s been calling your name. The Batanga will surely satisfy, but if you’re curious about other beverages that are cut from the same cloth, so to speak, that you can mix up with a nice dark cola, allow Twist & Toast to make a few tasty suggestions.
- Fernet and Coke – Bitter and herbal with a sweet and spiced edge.
- Vodka and Coke – This mixture is simple, strong and smooth.
- Gin and Coke – Here’s a full-bodied sipper that’ll ease your jangled nerves after a long week.
- Rum and Coke – A perfect and classic cocktail that has stood the test of time.
Leave a Comment