El Capitan: A Batanga Recipe

Recipe: David Broomhead , Maíz de la Vida , Nashville

Photo: Elizabeth Wiseman

January 26, 2026

A boozy interpretation of a beloved Mexican highball.

David Broomhead, bar manager of Maíz de la Vida, reimagines that beloved Mexican highball, the Batanga, reducing the cola to a syrup and adding a splash of cava as a restrained nod to the original’s effervescence. “Each ingredient was selected to amplify flavors born from the elemental pairing of agave and cola,” he says. “Mexican Fernet and Aperol provide bitterness, heat, and structure … date-infused reposado tequila adds layered notes of dried fruit and richness.”

Ingredients

2 oz. date-infused reposado tequila
1/4 oz. Mexican Fernet
1/4 oz. Aperol
1/4 oz. cola reduction
Splash of cava

Tools:mixing glass, barspoon, strainer
Glass:rocks

Preparation

Wet half of the outside rim of a glass with a lime wedge, dip it in salt, and set aside. Add all of the ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir to combine and chill. Strain into the prepared glass over a large ice cube. Squeeze a couple drops of juice from a lime wedge into the finished cocktail, then stir the lime wedge in with the same knife that cut the lime. “This is a very important point as it connects the drink to its predecessor, the Batanga,” says Broomhead.
Date-Infused Reposado TequilaAdd 8 dates (sliced) to a 750ml bottle of reposado. Let sit together for at least 24 hours, then strain out the dates.
Cola ReductionCombine 2 cups of Mexican Coke, 1 cup of sugar, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves, then remove from heat. Will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.