In the name of the jimador, the mezcalero, and the catador, we praise you maguey gods for bestowing upon us an uptick in agave bars over the last decade.

What stemmed from the popularity of COA in Hong Kong has blossomed into an entire cocktail bar movement centered around terroir-driven menus, specifically those focused on agave – the plant from which both mezcal and tequila are distilled.

Driven by premiumization, the globe has witnessed a surge of agave-centric bars that has uplifted mezcal and tequila from “shot culture” to respected spirits. From Superbueno in New York to Cat Bite Club in Singapore, from Quinta Cantina in Goa to the newly-opened Tepache in Hokkaido, agave-based cocktail programs are not just a trend, they’re here to stay.

Let’s raise a glass arriba, abajo, al centro, pa’ dentro to these seven stellar global agave-focused cocktail bars taking the spirit to the next level.

COA (Hong Kong)

The eponymous long-handled cleaver used by jimadores (agave farmers) for harvesting maguey plants, a coa, lends its name to the most globally-celebrated agave bar, Hong Kong’s COA. This agave temple is the first-ever and only bar to be thrice-awarded the coveted No.1 position on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list.

While COA may not be the original agave-focused bar in the world, it’s the most pioneering when it comes to high-end, agave-forward cocktails and its extensive agave selection of more than 200 bottles that afford patrons the opportunity to take a deep dive into niche agave spirits, like sotol, bacanora, and raicilla.

Within this rendition of a rustic Mexican cantina, spirit enthusiasts are poured boutique mezcal tastings alongside signatures, like the Bloody Beef Maria – a ménage à trois of sour, savory, and spicy with mezcal, tequila, clarified beef stock, tomato cordial and a nip of layered heat owed to both chipotle chili and Sichuan peppercorn – and the Smacked Cucumber – a tart tipple drawn from the Chinese cold dish staple bearing the same name featuring mezcal, tequila, cucumber, chili, ginger, honey, and the curious addition of homemade Chinese cucumber sauce.

 Quinta Cantina (Goa)

Quinta Cantina is a cross-border love story of two legacy spirits – mezcal and feni – separated by oceans yet bound by tradition. The bar’s philosophy draws on their similarities; from sacred harvesting tools (the coa and caanto) to terroir-dependency (resulting in weather-contingent vintages), from natural fermentation styles to consumption methods (with citrus and salt), the intersection of these two spirits is where Quinta Cantina resides.

Eight agave cocktails act as a counterpart to eight with feni, each inspired by local ingredients integral to the cultures that begot them. A refreshing riff on a michelada, the Muchacha offers both tequila and mezcal amped by Corona cordial and the zing of fresh cherry tomato, finished with a jolt of jalapeño. Single estate fenis brought in from Goa’s coastal plains and hand-carried mezcal are also available for those partaking in a vertical tasting.

The food aligns with the bar's ethos through creative fusion plates like Goan-style rawa-fried fish tacos, ros omelette huevos rancheros, pork amsol carnitas tacos, and Goan chorizo totopos.

 Cat Bite Club (Singapore)

Singapore’s friskiest bar, Cat Bite Club, embodies the intersection of two terroir-based drams: agave and rice spirits. Fittingly, the menu of polyglot origins bridges two countries – Mexico and Japan – through shared ingredients, from coriander to chili, from citrus to rice.

On the agave front, two varieties of tequila are milk-washed with guava and a touch of cinnamon and maple as the Puss in Boot, while Dill Wit It sits at the other end of the sweet-savory spectrum with a blend of tequila and sotol softened by dill, celery, pear, and bergamot. For the spirit enthusiasts, guests can choose from the library list of over 200 rare-varietal agaves and unsung rice-based liquors, available in sampling flights.

Echoing the same tenet, the food underscores the crossover between Mexican and Asian gastronomy. Think chips and cheese with vegan kimchi, Korean chicken al pastor quesadillas, and house pickles that link eastern techniques with western seasonings.

 Una Hacienda (Bangalore)

Stepping away from the tacos and tequila shots stereotype, Una Hacienda is a “barra arriba” aka rooftop oasis by the same team as renowned Spirit Forward. Shaped by the Latin heritage estates of South America, the space is marked by high ceilings, soft amber lighting, rhythmic beats, and abundant foliage.

An ode to Latin American culture, the drinks roster highlights mezcal, tequila, pisco, and Latin rums through smashable sippers like El Pastor – agave brightened by lime, cordial verde, and a spicy kick of ancho chili, jalapeño, and Tajin– and the milk-washed La Bamba – with the juxtaposition of berry mistelle and habanero providing a crave-worthy sweet heat.

Superbueno (New York City)

Coloring outside the lines is what scored Superbueno – a tip of the hat to the “American cantina” – its slew of accolades as one of North America’s top bars. Beyond the booming reggaeton and neon glow emanating from the back bar comes an ambitious mixology program, one that employs ingredients more likely to be found in the kitchen pantry – pasilla chiles, Tajín, mole rojo, and huitlacoche (corn fungus) – than the cocktail glass.

As a means of honoring industry icon and Superbueno owner Nacho Jimenez’s heritage, contemporary cocktails, like the Roasted Corn Sour – a trio of tequila, pox (a corn liquor from the highlands of Chiapas) and corn whiskey shaken with roasted corn, guajillo, and egg white – showcase Mexican culinary traditions.

Tepache (Hokkaido)

One may expect a newly-opened Hokkaido bar to offer shelves lined with sake, awamori, umeshu, and the like. Plot twist, Tepache is not that. A sister bar to the beloved Tokyo Confidential, Tepache’s menu is chock-full of small batch agave products from tequila to raicilla and unexplored Mexican spirits.

Named after Mexico’s fermented pineapple beverage, it’s no shocker that tequila and mezcal pours are doled out with dealer’s choice of said tepache, sangrita or grilled pineapple. Cocktails follow in the same vein with elevated margaritas, bloody marias, tequila highballs, and the fan favorite Arigato El Gatto, a fizzy tipple with a mezcal base layered with watermelon, chili, and Tajín.

Bar Sama (Bangalore)

Bar Sama is one of Bangalore’s newest watering holes, backed by the acclaimed Cat Bite Club team. The menu sees agave-forward libations shaken, stirred, and infused with house-made tinctures, bitters, and local ingredients.

“It began in those old grunge bars, where the pour came from the heart, not the jigger. We’d line up the glasses and say: ‘Samavaagidiya nodu?’ or ‘Is it equal?” lends founder Pratheek Reddy. Now, that saying translates to the name christened above the door.

Bar Sama provides that same convivial energy of the bars of yesteryear but in a refined 50-seater floral-centric space rooted in Bengaluru’s famed gardens.

Celebrating all things agave, signatures like the Pulp Friction – a tequila and mezcal highball laced with citrus and peppercorns – and The Chilli On – a customizable Picante – set the stage for the gastro-style cocktail program.

This article was originally written for and published on the World's 50 Best Bars website here.