Sip Happens: Our Favorite Latin Cocktails (and How to Make Them Right)
Some spirits sip quietly. Latin spirits? They tell stories. They swagger. They come with rhythm built in — the kind that makes you tap your foot before you’ve even had your first drink.
From rum to pisco to tequila, Latin America’s bottles aren’t just for pouring; they’re for remembering. They carry centuries of flavor, trade, and a little rebellion — and when mixed right, they become the backbone of the best latin cocktails around.
As we wrote in A Guide to Latin Spirits, “When the sun goes down, the bottle goes up.” That’s not just poetry; that’s policy. Every country from Mexico to Brazil has its own way of saying cheers, and every one of those drinks tells you something about the place — and the people — it comes from.
Latin spirits are also built for creativity. They’re what happens when resourcefulness meets flavor, when “let’s use what we’ve got” turns into a world-class cocktail tradition. And because we’re generous, we’re sharing a few of our go-to latin cocktails — equal parts easy, bold, and dangerously drinkable.
Rum: The Caribbean’s Sweet Trouble
Let’s be honest: rum doesn’t behave. It’s smooth when it wants to be, spicy when it feels like it, and always the first one to start something. As Rum 101: Everything You Need to Know puts it, rum is “the darling drink of the Caribbean” — made by fermenting and distilling sugarcane juice or molasses, then resting it in oak barrels until it learns a little patience.
But we love it precisely because it doesn’t rest for long. There’s a rum for every mood:
- White rum if you like it crisp and light.
- Golden rum for a mellow depth.
- Dark rum for storytelling hours.
- Spiced rum for when you’re feeling dramatic.
Our favorite way to show it off? The legendary Cuba Libre — a latin cocktail that proves even three ingredients can carry history, humor, and just the right amount of kick.
Cuba Libre, Three Ways
Prep time: 5 minutes | Servings: 3
Ingredients:
Cuba Libre 1:
- 2 oz. Spiced Rum
- Juice of ½ Lime
- 4 oz. Cola Soda
Cuba Libre 2:
- 2 oz. White Rum
- Juice of ½ Lime
- 1 oz. Pomegranate Juice
- 4 oz. Cola Soda
Cuba Libre 3:
- 1 oz. White Rum
- ½ oz. 151 Rum
- Juice of ½ Lime
- ½ oz. Simple Syrup
- 4 oz. Cola Soda
Directions:
Build directly in a Collins glass: ice, rum, lime juice, cola. Garnish with a lime wedge and maybe a smirk.
Pro tip: Use Mexican Cola soda. The real sugar adds a pop that tastes like nostalgia — and not the “sitting in traffic” kind.
Check the full recipe, here!
Whether you go classic or a little reckless with 151, the Cuba Libre remains the ultimate easy latin cocktail: refreshing, quick, and way too easy to “just have one more.”
Pisco: Grape Ambition from the Andes
If rum is the troublemaker, pisco is the poet — smooth, aromatic, and quietly confident. Born in the vineyards of Peru (and, yes, Chile claims it too), pisco is a brandy made from distilled grapes. It’s delicate but not shy, like the friend who quotes César Vallejo and finishes the bottle.
According to A Guide to Latin Spirits, pisco “was developed by 16th-century Spanish settlers as an alternative to imported brandy.” Translation: the colonizers ran out of booze, so the locals made something better.
And the Pisco Sour? It’s their crown jewel. A frothy, citrusy, silky masterpiece that feels like sunshine with good manners.
Pisco Sour
Prep time: 15 minutes | Servings: 2
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Pisco
- 1 oz. Lime Juice
- 2 tbsp. Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg White
- Ice
- Tabasco Hot Sauce or Angostura Bitters
Instructions:
- Blend pisco, lime juice, sugar, and ice for a few seconds.
- Add egg white, blend again until foamy.
- Pour into a chilled glass, top with a few drops of hot sauce or bitters.
Tips:
- Always fresh lime juice — bottled won’t do your drink justice.
- Shake or blend hard; you want cloud-like foam.
- Chill your glass because warm cocktails are crimes against humanity.
Peru even has Pisco Sour Day every February — a whole day just to toast to this latin cocktail. We respect that level of commitment.
For the full recipe, head over here!
Michelada: Mexico’s Cure-All in a Glass
Now, for the cocktail that fixes both your thirst and your questionable decisions: the Michelada.
Think of it as the Latin remix of a beer cocktail — tomato, lime, chili, and beer all getting along better than anyone expected. As a brunch companion or a hangover cure, it’s unmatched. And yes, it’s another latin cocktail that invites personalization: more spice, less salt, extra lime — your call.
Michelada
Prep time: 5 minutes | Servings: 1
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle Mexican beer
- 2 Limes
- 2 oz. Tomato Sauce
- 2 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp. Tabasco Hot Sauce
- Pinch of Salt
- Ice
- Chili Powder
Directions:
- Rim a tall glass with lime, then dip it in salt and chili powder.
- Add sauces, ice, and salt.
- Pour beer, mix gently, and garnish with a lime wedge.
Pro tip: Pale lagers — like Modelo or Pacifico — work best. Save the craft stouts for another day.
The Michelada might be messy, spicy, and unpredictable — which, let’s face it, is part of its charm.
Check out the full recipe here!
Flavor, History, and a Dash of Chaos: The Latin Way to Drink
What makes a latin cocktail so good isn’t just the flavor — it’s the attitude. Latin spirits don’t just get mixed; they mingle. They bring contrast together — sweet with sour, strong with soft — and somehow it all makes sense.
As we said in A Guide to Latin Spirits, “These spirits tell a story that goes deeper than a quick way to relax, get buzzed, and have fun.” Each one carries a bit of the land it came from — sugarcane fields, grape valleys, agave plains. They remind us that good drinks are never just about the drink. They’re about connection.
So the next time you’re restocking your bar, skip the predictable stuff. Grab something that’s seen a little sun, survived a long voyage, or been passed down with pride. Shake, pour, sip, repeat — the latin cocktail way.
And remember: in Latin America, we don’t drink to forget. We drink to remember better.
¡Salud!