New La Cava Featured Cocktail!

La Cava del Tequila officially rolled out a new featured cocktail today (December 3rd), and I had the chance to preview it a few days early, thanks to an invitation from the La Cava team. In all of the hustle and bustle and fanfare of Festival of the Holidays offerings, this one cuts through the noise. It’s not “just” another margarita or glitter-filled sugar bomb you might find at a festival booth. It’s a classic cocktail with real thought behind it.

The Concept

The new drink, called The Standing Ovation, is a collaboration with Jordan Fisher that has been months in the making. If you don’t know Jordan Fisher’s name, you certainly know his voice. It rings out along Main Street every night as the lead vocalist of Happily Ever After! A full run-through of his Disney credits would take too long to list here (not to mention Broadway and other accolades as well), but he’s been part of the Disney universe for a long time.

The La Cava team traveled to New York to work with Jordan and craft The Standing Ovation based on his drink of choice – a Manhattan. La Cava didn’t try to reinvent the wheel, but they added a thoughtful and well-crafted twist to the classic.

What’s In The Glass

The ingredients are straight-forward: Ilegal Anejo Mezcal, Rittenhouse Rye, vermouth, and mole bitters. The mezcal is the one truly unique profile in the mix for a Manhattan, and it adds layers of flavor without pulling the drink off-balance.

The Standing Ovation is served from a small wooden cask with a “jf” logo, and the Manhattan glass has an etching that matches. It’s a clean, cohesive presentation that is thoughtful rather than flashy.

If you enjoy spirit-forward cocktails, you’ll be right at home here. The mezcal brings a gentle, built-in smokiness. Not the kind that arrives under a dome of vapor and takes over the entire drink, but the natural smoke you expect from a good aged mezcal. I’ve had plenty of smoked Old Fashioneds in recent years (including at Disney), many of which were totally overwhelmed by the artificial smoke. The Standing Ovation keeps the smoky flavor grounded, and still lets the rye hold its own to provide that warm, familiar Manhattan backbone.

It’s worth noting: this is a strong cocktail. It tastes like spirits, not sugar. If your go-to La Cava order is something frozen or citrusy, this might feel intense. But if you appreciate a Manhattan or anything in that family, this will make you very happy. One note is that the menu price increased to $20 after my preview, and it’s well worth the cost.

My Take

I appreciated that La Cava and Jordan Fisher didn’t try to overcomplicate this. It’s confident, well-balanced, and different enough to stand out on an already excellent menu. And I say, bring on more collaborations that add personality and Disney-community touches, because this is a winning combination!

If your next World Showcase lap includes a stop in Mexico (and let’s be honest, it absolutely should), The Standing Ovation is worth the effort. It’s a spirit-forward, grown-up cocktail that feels intentional and special, especially if your normally gravitate toward Manhattans OR mezcal.

Does this drink sound like something you’d enjoy? Which Disney celebrity do you want to see a drink collaboration with?