Batanga

The Batanga is a cocktail made with tequila, lime, and Coca-Cola served with a salted rim. It was invented in the 1960s by a restaurant owner in Mexico who named it after a customer who was “batanga” — slang for “thick in the middle” — aka “stout in appearance.” The Batanga has sweet and tart flavors with a touch of earthiness from the tequila; it comes together in a glass in minutes and can be easily scaled up for a crowd.

To add a bartender-approved spin on this classic cocktail, follow Nacho Jimenez’s lead and add a splash of Fernet-Vallet, a bitter Italian liqueur, and a citrus-salt rim. Jimenez is a New York City–based bartender and co-owner of Superbueno, a Mexican American cocktail bar. His interpretation of the Batanga has a sweet and earthy taste from the tequila, plus a slightly aromatic touch from Fernet-Vallet and a punch of tartness from the lime.

Why the Batanga works

This easy cocktail follows the rules of a classic highball: a spirit topped with a carbonated non-alcoholic mixer. The mixer in this highball, Coca-Cola has a rich, caramel flavor-profile that adds a lot of depth to the drink and pairs with the inherent sweetness of the tequila. Freshly squeezed lime juice adds brightness to liven up this ultra-easy cocktail.

To tame the sweetness from the Coca-Cola, this drink gets a salt rim and while you can certainly use plain salt, Jimenez adds four types of citrus zest to play off the fragrant, fruity notes present in the Batanga. See the note below for instructions.