6 Cancun Cocktails To Try This Summer
Cooling Down with Cocktails in Cancun
By Juan Antonio Sempere
In case you haven’t noticed we’re smack-dab in the middle of a cocktail renaissance. This renewed interest in mixology has brought up challenges for bartenders everywhere, which continually try to come up with original ways to wow increasingly discerning customers.
Here are six cocktails that you can’t go without trying this summer at Moon Palace Cancun.
We’ve even included the original recipes if you’re feeling adventurous enough to play bartender at home or on vacation:
Caipirinhas for the Uninitiated
Maria Caipirinha (Restaurante Arrecifes)
Here’s an original take on the iconic Brazilian drink, where the bartenders add some Mexico-via-Asia flavor with the distinctive kick of ginger and cilantro.
Ingredients
1/2 oz Pineapple chunks
1/2 Lemon, sliced
1/4 tsp Ginger, grated
1/2 oz Sugar
6 Cilantro leaves
1.5 oz Cachaça
Place pineapple, lemon, sugar, ginger, and half the cilantro leaves into old-fashioned glass and mash ingredients together using a muddler or a wooden spoon. Fill the glass with crushed ice; add the Cachaça, and the rest of cilantro leaves as garnish.
Maria Valentina (The Pub)
Don’t be deceived by the delicate perfume of the rose petal-infused syrup, this aromatic cocktail, vaguely based on the Heartbreaker, packs quite a punch.
Ingredients
1.5 oz Tequila
1 oz Rose petal infused simple syrup
1/2 oz Lemon juice
Sprig of rosemary
Mix all liquid ingredients together and serve over crushed iced. Garnish with the sprig of rosemary, and maybe a couple of candied rose petals if you’re feeling particularly romantic.
Daiquiri and Dirt
Coconut & Cinnamon Daiquiri (Manglar)
Ah, the Daiquiri! A crowd favorite with a rich history that somehow becomes even more interesting and exotic by the addition of coconut and cinnamon, becoming a sort of boozy horchata: that milky, refreshing staple of traditional Mexican aguas frescas. You’ll be hooked!
Ingredients
1.5 oz Rum
2 oz Coconut milk
1/2 oz Lime juice
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pour all liquid ingredients into shaker with ice cubes. Shake well. Serve in a chilled cocktail glass and top with a dusting of cinnamon.
Barro de Oaxaca (Caporales)
Looks can be deceiving. This color of this chocolatey, malty drink pays homage to the typical pottery of the state of Oaxaca. The flavors? Smoky mezcal, tangy tamarind, tart citrus notes, and the hot kick of the habanero pepper bring it all together.
Ingredients
1.5 oz Mezcal
2 oz Tamarind juice
2 oz Orange juice
1/2 oz Lime juice
Thin slice of habanero pepper
Blend all the ingredients together and serve over a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with some citrus slices lightly dusted with chili powder.
Earth and Garden
Tierra de Jalisco (Caporales)
Another concoction inspired by an emblematic state in Mexico, this flavorful Mezcal cocktail burns bright and red like Jalisco’s fertile ground, but it’s cool and refreshing like a summer breeze thanks to the brightness of the berries.
Ingredients
1.5 oz Mezcal
2 oz Orange juice
2 oz Strawberries
1 oz Berries
1/2 oz Lemon juice
4 Basil leaves
Blend all the ingredients together and serve over a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with the basil.
Garden Martini (Lobby Bar)
You can’t go wrong with the worldly sophistication of a standard Martini, which in this case is made just a bit more herbal by the welcome addition of rosemary.
Ingredients
3 oz Gin
1/2 oz Dry vermouth
2 Olives
Sprig of rosemary
Pour liquid ingredients into mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain in chilled martini cocktail glass. Garnish with olives and give it a final stir with the rosemary sprig.