Name: Batanga
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 oz / 60 ml blanco tequila; ½ oz / 15 ml fresh lime juice; 4 oz / 120 ml mexican coca-cola; for rim / for rim salt rim

Ingredients

2 ozblanco tequila
60 ml
½ ozfresh lime juice
15 ml
4 ozmexican coca-cola
120 ml
for rimsalt rim
for rim

Instructions

Rim a highball glass with salt (wet the rim with a lime wedge and dip in coarse salt). Fill the glass with ice. Add blanco tequila and fresh lime juice, then top with Mexican Coca-Cola. Stir with a large knife (traditionally) or a barspoon. Garnish with a lime wedge. The Batanga is Mexico's beloved tequila-and-Coke — elevated by fresh lime and a salt rim.

Sips & Tips

Technique

Traditionally, the Batanga is stirred with a large knife — the same knife used to cut the limes. This isn't just showmanship; the wide blade stirs the drink efficiently without over-agitating the carbonation. A barspoon works fine at home. Use Mexican Coca-Cola (made with cane sugar) for the best flavor.

Balance

The salt rim is essential — it balances the sweetness of the cola and amplifies the tequila's agave character. Use a quality blanco tequila; the cola will mask cheap tequila's flaws but a good one adds complexity. Fresh lime juice (not Rose's) provides the acidity that keeps the drink from being too sweet.

History

The Batanga was created by Don Javier Delgado Corona at his bar La Capilla in Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. Don Javier has been making Batangas since the 1960s and still serves them today (he's over 90 years old). The drink is named after a local bus route. It's the most famous cocktail to come out of the town of Tequila itself.

The Batanga is Mexico's answer to the Cuba Libre — simple, satisfying, and best enjoyed in the afternoon sun. Don Javier's been making them for 60 years for a reason. Cheers.

Variations

Batanga with Mezcal

Split the base spirit: 1 oz blanco tequila and 1 oz mezcal. The smokiness of the mezcal adds complexity and pairs surprisingly well with the cola's caramel sweetness.