What's the best tequila for a margarita?

Blanco/Plata, 100% agave. Espolòn ($25), Cazadores ($28), Lunazul ($25), or El Tesoro Plata ($45). The agave needs to taste like agave — that's the whole point.

Tequila vs mezcal — what's the difference?

Tequila is made from one specific agave (blue Weber) in a specific region (mostly Jalisco). Mezcal can be made from 30+ agave varieties anywhere in Mexico. Mezcal is typically smokier (the agave is roasted in earth pits before fermentation). Both are agave spirits.

What's a Cadillac margarita?

Margarita with top-shelf ingredients: aged tequila and Grand Marnier instead of triple sec. Cleaner and more spirit-forward than a regular margarita.

Why do good margaritas not use sour mix?

Sour mix is industrial citric acid plus high-fructose corn syrup. Fresh lime juice plus real agave or Cointreau gives you a drink that tastes like agave and citrus instead of like a sticky sweet candy.

Cocktails

Cocktails with tequila: 8 essential drinks.

Tequila is having a renaissance. Premium 100% agave bottles are everywhere, and the cocktail repertoire has expanded far beyond the margarita. Here are 8 tequila drinks — half classics, half newer entries that deserve to stick around.

The 8 drinks

1. Margarita

1930s · multiple

Tequila, lime, Cointreau (or other triple sec), salt rim. The most-ordered cocktail in America. Build: 2 oz blanco tequila, 1 oz lime, 0.75 oz Cointreau.

2. Paloma

Mexico, mid-20th c.

Tequila, fresh grapefruit juice, lime, salt, soda water. Mexican. Better than the margarita most days. Build: 2 oz tequila, 2 oz grapefruit juice, 0.5 oz lime, top with soda, salt rim.

3. Tequila Sunrise

1970s · Sausalito

Tequila, orange juice, grenadine layered. Showy but legit if you use fresh OJ and real pomegranate grenadine (not the corn-syrup kind). Build: 2 oz tequila, 4 oz OJ, 0.5 oz real grenadine.

4. Oaxaca Old Fashioned

2007 · Phil Ward

Reposado tequila, mezcal, agave syrup, mole bitters. Modern classic. Build: 1.5 oz reposado, 0.5 oz mezcal, 1 tsp agave syrup, dash mole bitters, orange peel.

5. Ranch Water

Texas, 1980s

Tequila, lime, Topo Chico (Mexican mineral water). The drink Texas built. Build: 2 oz blanco tequila, 0.5 oz lime, top with Topo Chico in a tall glass.

6. Tommy's Margarita

1990s · San Francisco

Tequila, lime, agave syrup. Margarita without the orange liqueur. Cleaner, more agave-forward. Build: 2 oz blanco tequila, 1 oz lime, 0.5 oz agave syrup.

7. Mexican Firing Squad

1937 · Charles Baker

Tequila, lime, grenadine, Angostura. From The Gentleman's Companion. Build: 2 oz tequila, 1 oz lime, 0.5 oz real grenadine, 3 dashes Angostura.

8. El Diablo

1940s · Trader Vic

Tequila, crème de cassis, lime, ginger beer. Build: 1.5 oz tequila, 0.5 oz crème de cassis, 0.75 oz lime, top with ginger beer.

About tequila

100% agave is the only kind worth buying. 'Mixto' tequilas (anything not 100% agave) are cheap for a reason. Blanco/Plata is unaged — the cleanest expression. Reposado is aged 2-12 months in oak — softer, slightly vanilla. Añejo is aged 1-3 years — closer to whiskey territory. For cocktails, blanco is the workhorse; reposado for sipping or for old-fashioned-style drinks.

FAQ

What's the best tequila for a margarita?: Blanco/Plata, 100% agave. Espolòn ($25), Cazadores ($28), Lunazul ($25), or El Tesoro Plata ($45). The agave needs to taste like agave — that's the whole point.
Tequila vs mezcal — what's the difference?: Tequila is made from one specific agave (blue Weber) in a specific region (mostly Jalisco). Mezcal can be made from 30+ agave varieties anywhere in Mexico. Mezcal is typically smokier (the agave is roasted in earth pits before fermentation). Both are agave spirits.
What's a Cadillac margarita?: Margarita with top-shelf ingredients: aged tequila and Grand Marnier instead of triple sec. Cleaner and more spirit-forward than a regular margarita.
Why do good margaritas not use sour mix?: Sour mix is industrial citric acid plus high-fructose corn syrup. Fresh lime juice plus real agave or Cointreau gives you a drink that tastes like agave and citrus instead of like a sticky sweet candy.

Cook with what you already own.

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