There’s something about Mexican food that just screams, “drink me”.
When I’m eating chicken enchiladas with hot sauce and rice, I want to be drinking a margarita. When I’m eating tacos, I want a Cactus Cooler with Tequila. It’s like the perfect pairing of food and drink—if you’re anything like me, anyway. A drink with cactus? Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not exactly like that.
This is the first time I’ve tried making this cocktail at home, but it’s not my first time ordering one at a restaurant. When I was growing up, my parents used to take me to this small Mexican restaurant in our neighborhood, and we’d go there every time they wanted something quick and easy. Whenever they ordered from the menu, though? That was when they’d let me order something too: A Cactus Cooler cocktail!
But what exactly is a Cactus Cooler drink? Traditionally, these drinks are made with mandarin vodka—and that’s exactly how the restaurant served it up back then—but once you start thinking about cactus and tequila in the same sentence? Potato-based spirits just don’t come to mind for me!
The result? A cool and refreshing cocktail that will make you feel like you’re vacationing on a Mexican beach!
Ingredients to make a Cactus Cooler Tequila Cocktail
It’s time to get your drink on! This delicious cactus cocktail is a perfect way to kick off your night. It’s light and refreshing, with a little bit of spice coming from the tequila, but not too much to make it overwhelming. It’s also a great choice if you’re looking for something that isn’t too sweet or heavy—you can still enjoy all of the flavors without getting full.
Here’s what you’ll need to make your cocktail (you can use a jigger to measure quantities):
- 1 ounce Olmeca Altos Tequila
- 1 ounce orange juice
- ½ ounce tangerine juice
- ½ ounce lime juice
- 1 ½ ounces cranberry juice
- ½ ounce Triple sec
- 4 ounces lemon-lime soda
- Tangerine slice, for garnish
- Mint sprig, for garnish
If you’re looking for an easy summer drink that won’t weigh you down or ruin your day, try out this recipe!
The lemon-lime soda adds just a little bit of carbonation to this drink while still keeping it light and delicate—perfect for any time of the year!
How to Prepare the Cactus Cooler Cocktail
Here’s how to prepare the cactus cooler cocktail:
- Fill a glass with ice cubes.
- Add all the ingredients into a shaker and shake.
- Pour into the glass using a cocktail strainer.
- Crush up some fresh mint leaves and add them to the glass.
- Stir well until everything is mixed together and serve immediately!
We have to recommend you another Alto’s recipe, our Honey Highball Cocktail. Enjoy it!
You can garnish with a cactus flower to make it even more different and exotic.
How to Improve the Cactus Cooler Tequila
If you’re looking for a refreshing cocktail that packs a punch, you’ve come to the right place. Cactus Cooler Margaritas is an easy-drinking cocktail that’s perfect for summer. It’s made with tequila and fresh lime juice, which means it’s going to pack a punch—just the way we like it. But don’t worry: there are plenty of other flavors to balance out the tartness!
We start with a base of tequila and fresh cucumber juice. Fresh cucumber adds a hint of green sweetness, while agave nectar adds just enough sweetness without being overpowering. Then we add some mint leaves and cucumber slices as garnish—they look pretty but also give this cocktail its distinctive touch!
If you’re going to make this drink, I strongly suggest making your own ice cubes. You can do that by freezing water in an ice tray with a small amount of lime juice squeezed into each cube. The lime juice will help keep your drink from watering down too much as it melts—and it adds a nice flavor!
This tequila-based drink is all about the rim of your glass. A good first step is to get a kind of salt that doesn’t dissolve too quickly, like kosher salt or flaky sea salt. Although, if you prefer something sweeter to go with this Cactus Cooler cocktail, you could also coat the rim of your glass with sugar.
Once you’ve got the right ingredients, grab a lime wedge and rub it around the rim of your glass to moisten it up. Then dip it into your salt or sugar mixture until it’s coated on both sides and place it back on top of your empty glass.
A High-quality Altos Tequila for Your Cocktail
Looking for a high-quality tequila that’s perfect for your Cactus Cooler cocktail? Olmeca Altos is the right choice.
Tequila is one of the most versatile spirits out there and it goes well with just about anything, from watermelon margaritas and spicy bloody marys, to apple pie shots and pineapple piña coladas. And if you’re looking for an affordable, high-quality tequila to mix into your favorite cocktails, Olmeca Altos is the right choice.
If you’re a cocktail lover, a high-quality tequila is a must-have. Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila is a smooth, citrusy and floral tequila that makes the perfect base for your favorite cocktails. Whether you enjoy tequila shots or want to craft the best Cactus Cooler Tequila, Olmeca Altos is a smooth and perfect tequila for drinking straight or mixing into cocktails.
Olmeca Altos Plata (Silver) offers an abundance of flavor that will surely please your palate. Its rich agave notes are accented by hints of citrus and floral aromas that will leave you wanting more!
Olmeca Altos Plata (Silver) has an ABV of 40%-80% proof and was named after the town where it was produced—San Luis del Rio Colorado in Jalisco, Mexico. This 100% blue agave tequila is distilled from fresh-picked weber blue agave plants grown on “haciendas” belonging to the company’s founder, Don Felipe Camarena Salinas y Salinas. The result is a smooth, clean tasting tequila with notes of citrus and herbs along with hints of white pepper and oak.
