Latin American and Spanish Holiday Cocktails

HoLa Hora Latina wishes you a warm and bright holiday season this year as we gather again with friends and loved ones. HoLa is a non-profit Hispanic and LatinX arts and culture organization and hosts the HoLa Festival, Tennessee’s largest celebration of Latin American and Hispanic art, music, and food. Our mission is to unite the Knoxville and Hispanic/LatinX communities through art, culture, education, and leadership.  One of our favorite ways to learn about the cultures of Latin America and Spain is to share a drink with our Knoxville neighbors. Below is a list of our favorite Latin American and Hispanic cocktails you can find this year around town featuring tequila, mezcal, sangria, and cachaça.  

Chivo Taquería: A well-known spot on Gay Street, Chivo boasts the largest selection of tequila and mezcal in town. With hundreds of options to try, you can always find a new favorite and learn about different types of tequila, mezcal and soto from their knowledgeable bar staff. They offer flights of different varieties of tequila and mezcal, as well as a menu of delicious cocktails.  

The Full Mezcal Jacket is a cocktail capitalizing on the smoky flavors of mezcal with Los Vecinos Del Campo Mezcal, pineapple juice, orange juice, agave, and a chili seasoned rim. This sweet, smoky, spicy, citrus drink packs a strong punch of flavor and will warm you up quickly on cold, Knoxville winter day.  

Chivo’s take on the classic Paloma is a lightly sweet and sour blend of Espolón Reposado, grapefruit, lime, agave, Topo Chico, and bitters. Enjoy a taste of Mexico with cocktails like the jalapeño infused Chupacabra, The Mezcal-Rita, and The Black Betty made with Los Altos Blanco, blackberry purée, lime, pomegranate, and orange liqueur.  The inventive Oaxacan Old Fashioned combines Mi Campo Reposado, Sombra Mezcal, agave, and mole bitters (a sweet, spicy, and earthy sauce well known for its brown color and strong flavor combination).  

Don’t miss Chivo’s happy hour Monday through Thursday from 3pm to 6pm for $2 off can beer and $1 off drafts. You can get an “El Happy Meal” which includes a shot of tequila and a beer for just $7. 

Babalu: Babalu’s new look and new menu offers a variety of delicious Latin and Hispanic drinks and cordials. All the wines at this Knoxville favorite are imported from Spain and Portugal. You can try the Spanish Tempranillo red featuring dark fruity flavors and earthy notes with Mexican Coca-Cola in the Kalixmoto, or test out the Mezcal Cocktail made with Sombra Mezcal, Lustau Oloroso (a chocolatey, tangy, and nutty sherry), agave, nectar, Angostura bitters, and Reagan’s bitters. While Babalu offers an extensive variety of Spanish sangria and wines, our favorite is the Red Sangria made with Naranja orange liqueur, brandy, sweet vermouth, orange, lemon, thyme and rosemary. The herb and citrus combinations of this red sangria create a warm, fuzzy, holiday feeling upon the first sip.   

Babalu also offers a selection of margaritas with flavors like blood orange, guava habanero, cucumber, and even an orange mojito margarita.  Join them for Margarita Mondays with $5 classic margaritas all day long! 

The Five Thirty Lounge: Found on the rooftop of the Hyatt on Gay Street, the Five Thirty Lounge offers stunning views of the East Tennessee mountains in a classy, vintage setting with delicious cocktails to enjoy too, of course. The Smoke on the Mountain is a great option for those looking to be introduced to the intense flavors of mezcal with Espolon Tequila, Banhez Mezcal, St. George Chile, house-made grapefruit soda, and sal de gusano (sea salt made with ground agave worms and dried chiles). This delicious and flavorful refresher is the perfect pairing to views of the scorching Knoxville sunsets. 

The Five Thirty Lounge also boasts Avuá Prata Cachaça, a Brazilian rum made from sugarcane juice, most commonly found in the national drink of Brazil, the Caipirinha. Made from cachaça sugar, and lime, imagine yourself on the beach in Rio with this sweet and light cocktail when you’re looking to cope with the clouds and cold of our Knoxville winters.     

Other favorites like the Five Thirty Margarita and the spicy Massacre at Two Pines made with Espolón Tequila, Fidencio Mezcal, Ancho Reyes (a chile liqueur), beets, and ginger will help you explore Latin flavors here in Knoxville while keeping you nice and cozy warm.  

The Vault / Vida: This swanky restaurant and downstairs bar has converted the old Holston Bank building adjacent to Krutch Park on Gay Street into something truly spectacular, and the food and cocktails follow suit.  

The Up in Smoke is a sweet, smoky, and tangy mezcal concoction made with Suerte Tequila, Verjus Blanc, aperol, lemon juice, and mezcal spritz. The lightly sweet and fruity Piña Paloma can be served with and without tequila accompanied by grapefruit jarritos, lime and pineapple juice. The One-Two-Punch combines Brazilian cachaça with cappelletti, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and maple for a bright and flavorful tropical cocktail.  

We highly recommend trying the empanadas while you enjoy the art deco décor of the old bank vault on the bottom floor bar. Check out our article about empanadas in Knoxville here. 

Cataleya Cantina: This new, upscale, authentic Mexican cantina and restaurant just opened at Cedar Bluff and Kingston Pike next to the Maple Street Biscuit Company. Cataleya provides a combination of authentic Mexican dishes like quesabirria and street tacos with modern flair and offers a variety of cocktails rooted in tradition with inventive twists. The Jumbo Margarita combines Corazón Silver tequila, lime and orange juice, and passionfruit in a truly jumbo-sized jar topped with a tamarind straw (like you’d see in a mangonada) and a Tajín seasoned rim.  

The Tierra Verde, made with Corazón silver, melon liqueur, triple sec, and lime juice is a similarly refreshing margarita perfect for pairing with an esquite appetizer (Mexican street corn). Ask for a celery or hibiscus margarita to try a new flavor combination this winter.  

Explore the food menu to experience authentic Mexican cuisine you might not find in other Mexican restaurants around town. The Tlayuda, Tamale, and Chilaquile plates are sure to be a hit, but the warm Menudos and Caldos (soups/stews) are perfect for a Knoxville winter.  

We hope you enjoy these Latin cocktails as much as we have, and we wish you a merry and bright holiday season. Stop by Casa HoLa Wednesday through Friday from 12pm to 3pm to shop locally made and imported artisan crafts and accessories that make perfect gifts for the holidays.