Wake up your taste buds

Time to emerge from your winter cocoon – it’s springtime in New Brunswick. Even if the weather decides not to cooperate, the calendar says it’s spring so let’s go with it!

The chosen cocktail recipes in this feature are designed to wake up those taste buds with fresh citrus and bright spring flavours.

Cinco de Mayo is May 5 and there are lots of tequila-forward cocktails on the menu to help you celebrate and there’s even a Mint Julep featured in honour of the Kentucky Derby.

Mix one of these bright cocktails up to go with the first BBQ of the year or serve one up at your next weekend gathering.

Say hello to fresh flavours and say hello to spring sips!


To browse the full library of cocktail recipes you can make at home, visit our YouTube channel here.


Cherry Blossom

Ingredients:

  • 1.25 oz HORNITOS PLATA 750ML
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
  • 0.25 oz grenadine
  • Grapefruit slice or maraschino cherry for garnish
  • Salt as needed

Steps:

  1. Rim a glass in salt.
  2. Pour all ingredients into shaker with ice and shake well.
  3. Add ice to a glass.
  4. Strain into a glass.
  5. Garnish with a grapefruit slice or cherry.

Mint Julep

Ingredients:

Steps:

  1. In a julep cup muddle mint with the simple syrup.
  2. Fill cup 3/4 full with crushed ice.
  3. Add bourbon & stir.
  4. Fill remaining glass with crushed ice and a sprig of mint.

Orange Crush Cocktail

Ingredients:

Steps:

  1. Add cubed or crushed ice to a glass.
  2. Add vodka, orange juice, Triple Sec, and ice to cocktail mixer.
  3. Stir for 30 seconds.
  4. Pour into glass.
  5. Top with Sprite.
  6. Garnish with orange slice.

La Batanga

Ingredients:

Steps:

  1. Salt rim the highball glass and fill it with ice.
  2. Add tequila and lime juice.
  3. Fill the glass up with cola and stir.

Tequila Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

  • 3 oz VILLA ONE ANEJO 750ML
  • 0.5 oz agave syrup
  • 3 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 4 dashes orange bitters
  • Orange peel optional

Steps:

  1. Place tequila, agave syrup and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass with ice cubes.
  2. Stir gently for at least 30 seconds.
  3. Strain into another glass filled with a large ice cube and garnish with an orange peel, if desired.

Mocktail



Non-Alcoholic Spicy Margarita

Ingredients:

  • ½ jalapeño
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 0.5 oz agave or simple syrup
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • Soda water to top
  • Chili salt rim: 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp chili powder, dash of smoked paprika

Steps:

  1. Prepare the chili lime salt in small dish. Set aside.
  2. Slice jalapeño and place in shaker.
  3. Squeeze lemon and lime into shaker.
  4. Add agave.
  5. Muddle for at least 30 seconds to breakup the jalapeños.
  6. Add orange juice and shake.
  7. Coat the rim of a glass in lime juice. Dip in chili salt and add ice.
  8. Strain shaker mixture over ice and top with club soda to taste.