Batanga

Steps

1. 1

   Cut a lime in half across the equator, then cut one of those halves into a wedge and set it aside for garnish. Squeeze the remaining half into your jigger until you have 15ml of juice — about half a lime should do it.

   

   !Squeezing the garnish wedge into the glass instead of saving it for the rim.

2. 2

   Fill a highball glass with ice all the way to the top — the more ice, the slower it melts and the less watery your drink gets. If you're doing a salt rim, do it now before the ice goes in.

   

   !Underfilling the glass with ice, which makes the drink watery fast.

3. 3

   Pour 50ml tequila blanco over the ice, followed by the 15ml fresh lime juice. Give it one or two gentle stirs just to mix the spirits and citrus — you'll add the cola next and don't want to over-stir.

   

   !Stirring too aggressively now and splashing liquid out of the glass.

4. 4

   Top with about 120ml cola, pouring it down the inside of the glass to keep as much fizz as possible. You want the glass nearly full with maybe a finger of space at the top.

   

   !Pouring the cola straight down into the ice, which kills the carbonation.

5. 5

   Take your bar spoon and give the drink one slow, gentle lift-and-fold stir from the bottom — just enough to bring the tequila and lime up through the cola without stirring all the fizz out. You'll see the color lighten slightly when it's mixed.

   ~5s

   

   !Stirring too fast or too long, which makes the drink flat.

6. 6

   Stick the lime wedge on the rim of the glass and serve it right away while it's still cold and fizzy. That's it — you're done.

   

   !Dropping the garnish into the drink where it gets in the way of drinking.