Here in the U.S., Cinco de Mayo is mainly a day that many Americans use as an excuse to drink margaritas and eat tacos. For hardcore spirits enthusiasts, however, Cinco de Mayo is just another chance to appreciate tequila and mezcal as some of the world’s most distinctive liquors in their own right.

The margarita deserves credit for popularizing tequila in the U.S. According to one myth, Carlos “Danny” Herrera invented the margarita in 1938 for the dancer Marjorie King, who was allergic to most types of alcohol, but not tequila. Whatever origin story you believe—and there are many—the margarita served the purpose of orienting the palates of prohibition-dodging tourists to the flavors of Mexico’s spirit.

Even before prohibition, there was nothing new about cocktails mixing lime juice and triple sec with a base spirit. But those early drinks were made with brandy or rum. It is the inclusion of tequila (and increasingly more often, mezcal, Mexico’s oldest agave liquor) that make the margarita exotic.

Bad experiences with cheap tequila has turned off many from the liquor, but well shots with lime are nothing like drinking a refined mezcal.

“Just because you didn’t like that mezcal that one time does not mean you should write off mezcal the rest of your life,” says Robin Miller, head bartender at Espita Mezcaleria (1250 9th Street, NW).

Unlike tequila, which must come from blue agave in Mexico’s Jalisco state and conform to the distillation techniques of its designation of origin, mezcal can be made of many different, regionally-specific agave species and can have an endless variety of flavors.

“The roasting of agave plants in an underground oven, called a horno, is another place where mezcal splits from tequila,” says Miller.

Some mezcals are smoky because of the production style, while others are light and floral. So, it’s safe to say that there’s a mezcal for any taste. Mezcal is also the oldest distilled spirit in the world, with evidence that it was made by indigenous people as long as 35,00 years ago.

“We like to say that it is the more historical spirit that tequila was inspired by,” says Miller.

Espita’s introductory mezcal drink, Mayahuel, is a margarita with an approachable espadin mezcal, quality triple sec, lime juice, and raw agave. Sal de gusano—that’s worm salt—garnishes the rim.

Miller explains that mezcal was traditionally enjoyed neat, with fruit dipped in salt combined with the roasted agave worm as a flavorful snack. Sal de guasano adds that savory bite to this drink named after the mythic goddess who created the agave plant.

The margarita has taken many new forms at Oyamel (401 7th St. NW) with a whole menu of $10-13 dollar variations on the same cocktail with tequila or mezcal and a range of juices. Chef Jose Andrés’ favorite recipe, made with spicy Milagro tequila and Combier triple sec, bears the name of the restaurant. The Oyamel is served in the traditional cocktail glass and topped with “salt air,” a savory foam created from whipped aquafaba, or chickpea brine. The effect is a light cloud of sea-salt flavor over an intense tequila and liqueur combination.

Feel like just dipping your toes in the wide waters of mezcal? Go for the Estilo Ron Cooper: a standard Milagro margarita with Oaxacan sea salt and a side of Del Maguay Vida mezcal for sipping. More adventurous drinkers will be tempted by the Oaxacan Orange with Wahaka Oaxacan mezcal, Leopold’s Maraschino liqueur, orange juice, and a sal de gusano on the rim.

Tico (1926 14th St. NW) is a great bar for trying mezcal flights and cocktails made with this mercurial spirit. Here, El Silensio espadin mezcal proves its versatility in the Martini Casero. This mezcal martini explodes with smoke and roasted herbal flavors that are balanced by Lillet Blanc aromatized wine. Chili seasoned Chapulines (grasshopper) and salted orange make a spicy garnish that rewards the mezcal lovers who gravitate to this drink.

11th Street locals turn out for Bartender Chris Donovan’s creative mezcal cocktails at El Chucho Cocina Superior (3313 11th St. NW). His Sabor del Sol combines a pineapple and serrano pepper-infused mezcal, a rich pineapple and ginger syrup, and a chili salt rim for a boozy drink with hints of juice from the infusions. Some of Donovan’s creations take mezcal in a sweeter and less spicy direction than is usually associated with the spirit. His irreverent Senior Clusterf@$ck mixes High West Campfire whiskey with mezcal, along with Barenjager honey liqueur, Dolin dry vermouth, and a peanut tincture to make a sweet and honeyed cocktail with smoky and nutty scents. El Chucho cocktails are a great value at around $10 each.

The Bunny Bonanza is an apple brandy and aged tequila cocktail that approximates the sweet whiskey flavors of an Old Fashioned. Anejo tequila, aged at least 18 months in oak, has whiskey-like properties of wood and smoke. Use it or a smoky mezcal to make this simple cocktail at home.

• 2 oz. anejo tequila
• 1 oz. apple brandy
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp. maple syrup
• 3 dashes triple sec
• lemon slice

Combine all ingredients except lemon slice in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass and garnish with the lemon slice.