Everything To Know About The Batanga, The Next Hot Summer Cocktail

From the Hugo spritz to the espresso martini, many cocktails have vied for the title of drink of the summer over the years. As we approach the official start of the season, another beverage has emerged to compete for the title.

A fairly simple but perfectly balanced cocktail called the batanga might be the next hot summer cocktail, with fans ranging from TikTok-famous bartenders to the team at Martha Stewart.

So what exactly is a batanga, and what makes it worthy of being the drink of the summer? We asked some cocktail experts to break it down.

What is a batanga?

“The batanga is a simple yet refreshing cocktail made with tequila, fresh lime juice and cola, served in a glass with a salted rim,” said bartender Lynnette Marrero, who is a partner and chief mixologist at Delola and co-founder of the speed bartending competition Speed Rack.

To make a batanga, you must first cut a lime and use a wedge to coat the rim of a highball glass before dipping it in salt (some versions call for an added pinch of salt directly in the glass). Next, squeeze fresh lime juice into the glass and add ice and tequila blanco. Top it off with cola and stir to combine.

While the recommended ingredient portions vary depending on who you ask, we found many bartenders go with half an ounce of lime juice, or the juice of half a lime, and about 2 ounces of tequila blanco. One of the benefits of this drink is that you can tweak the ratio to your personal taste without compromising its overall identity.

Many describe the batanga as a take on a cuba libre with tequila instead of rum or a paloma with cola instead of grapefruit. The concoction is also sometimes called a charro negro, though the batanga differs in its specific inclusion of salt.

Aficionado