The margarita is a cocktail I’ve largely associated with the warmer months, considering how well tequila plays well with citrus and sweeteners despite the expression style. National Margarita Day (Feb. 22) happens when it’s still chilly in many parts of the country, but that won’t stop us from delivering another solid roundup of options.
The history of the margarita is a confusing one with several origin stories but most historians believe its earliest influence is the brandy daisy. For those unaware, daisies are drinks made with some manner of base spirit (typically brandy early on), citrus, and liqueur. Because bartenders in the late 19th Century to early 20th Century applied a “try anything” method to cocktails, nailing down the official start of the cocktail has been elusive at best.
Another thing most agree with is the fact that margaritas are delicious, especially when made with the proper balance. In modern times, the classic cocktail employs a blanco (clear) tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. The salted or sugared rim is an optional choice but one some people swear by. I’m not one of them but I see the appeal with both.
In this National Margarita Day roundup, we’re featuring an array of cocktails that take some unique turns and even some options that don’t use tequila at all (which, for purists, might be an issue). That said, we tried to showcase brands and cocktails that differ from the usual suspects. I hope you find a new favorite among them.
Have yourselves a happy National Margarita Day. I will be joining you all from my part of the world.
As always, sip safely and surely.
—
Photo: fotostorm / Getty
Spirit.Ed: Check Out Our National Margarita Day 2024 Roundup was originally published on cassiuslife.com
1. 1862 Margarita
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Tequila CAZADORES Blanco (Made with 100% Blue Weber Agave)
1/2 oz ST-GERMAIN elderflower liqueur
1/2 oz agave nectar
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
Method: Combine all the ingredients with ice. Shake and serve over the rocks in a 12 oz. bucket glass. Garnish with lime wheel.
2. Agave Lime Margarita
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz. SKYY Infusions Agave lime
.25 lime
.25 agave syrup
Garnish: Lime Wheel
Glass: Coupe
METHOD:
Build in a shaking tin. Shake with plenty of ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Salted rim optional.
3. Apple Cider Margarita
Ingredients:
2oz Flecha Azul Anejo Tequila
2oz apple cider
1oz lime juice
1oz Triple sec
½oz agave syrup
Rim
1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
Directions: Rim the glass by running a lime wedge over the lip. On a separate shallow plate, combine cinnamon sugar and salt. Dip glass. Fill the glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker, add cocktail ingredients. Shake well. Garnish and serve.
4. Cilantro Margarita
Ingredients:
2 parts Milagro Silver
1 part fresh lime juice
2/4 part agave nectar*
Fresh cilantro
1 lime wheel
1 cilantro sprig
Smoked salt
Method: Pour all ingredients into a Boston shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel, cilantro and smoked salt rim. * Or Substitute with Simple Syrup.
5. Elevated Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz. Avión Reserva 44
1 oz. Amalfi Lemon Juice
½ oz. Italicus
¾ oz. Saffron Syrup
Vanilla Pod to garnish
Preparation:
Grab your coupe glass and fill with ice cubes to keep it chilled. Next, fill a shaker with ice cubes and add 2 oz of Avion Reserva 44, 1 oz fresh lime juice. Add in half an ounce of Italicus, Saffron Syrup or Agave nectar if you prefer your cocktails on the sweeter side. Shake vigorously for about 10-15 seconds until well combined and chilled. Strain into your prepared glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a vanilla pod and enjoy!
6. El Melocotonero Margarita
Ingredients:
1 oz Mezcal Unión Uno
0.75 oz Amontillado sherry
0.5 oz Marie Brizard peach liqueur
0.5 oz agave nectar
0.5 oz lemon juice
2 dashes of Regan’s Orange Bitters
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously until the cocktail is thoroughly chilled. Strain into rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint speared through a peach ring candy.
Garnish: Mint sprig & peach ring candy
Glassware: Rocks
Ice: Cubes
7. Espolon Spicy Margarita
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Espolòn Blanco or Reposado
0.5 oz Ancho Reyes Verde or Original
1 oz fresh lime juice
0.5 oz Agave syrup
Recipe:
Shake all ingredients with plenty of ice and double strain into a coupette.
Garnish:
Garnish with lime peel/wedge.
8. Grand Margarita
Ingredients:
1 part Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge (an exceptional blend of fine cognac and bitter orange liqueur)
1 part Tequila
.5 part Fresh Lime Juice
Ice cubes
Lime Garnish
Method:
Fill a wide, shallow dish with 2-3 mm of fine salt. Cut a lime in half at the width and rub around half of the rim of a margarita glass. Cut a thin, crosswise slice from one of the lime halves for garnish. Holding glass upside down, dip wet half delicately into the salt. Shake Grand Marnier, tequila and lime juice with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into glass and apply lime garnish to the rim.
9. Hibiscus Margarita
Ingredients:
2oz Gran Coramino Cristalino
.75oz Fresh Lime Juice
.75oz Hibiscus Syrup
Hibiscus salt on the rim.
Shaken, served over ice. Lime garnish.
Hibiscus Syrup:
1 quarts dried sorrel flowers
3 thumbs Fresh ginger
4 cinnamon sticks
Peel of 1 orange
6 cloves
2.5 quarts water
Hibiscus Syrup Directions:
Add all ingredients, simmer.
Steep overnight to develop flavor.
Sweeten with cane sugar to taste.
Hibiscus Salt / sugar:
Grind dried flowers in grinder / blender
Add sea salt / sugar and mix thoroughly
10. Italicus Margarita
Ingredients:
1 part Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto
1 part Tequila Blanco
½ part lime juice
1 bar spoon agave nectar
Directions: Shake and serve straight up in a coupette. Garnish with lime zest or green olives.
11. Jalapeno Avocado Margarita
Ingredients
4 oz. Tequila Bribón Blanco
2 oz. Agave nectar (cut 50/50 with water)
2 oz. Fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 avocado, peeled and mashed
2 slices jalapeño
Lime wheels, for garnish
Fill two rocks glasses with ice. Place ripe avocado, and jalapeno slices in a cocktail shaker. Muddle ingredients until they’re thoroughly mashed. Add the remaining ingredients to the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into the two rocks glasses. Garnish with the remaining lime wheels.
12. Mango y Chile Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz. Tequila Herradura Silver
½ oz. Beet Juice
¾ oz. Agave Nectar (to taste)
1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
1 Slice Habanero Pepper
Mango Cubes, Muddled
Directions: Muddle yellow mango cubes in a shaker. Add all remaining ingredients, including slide of Habanero. Top with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a mango slice.
13. Mango Margarita
1.5oz Gracias a Dios Mango Mezcal
0.5oz Bauchant Orange Liqueur
0.75oz lime juice
0.25oz lemon juice
0.5oz agave syrup
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice into a double rocks glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
14. Matcha Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz 1800 Cristalino
1 tsp of Matcha Powder
1 oz Honey Syrup
.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
Garnish: Garnish with Lime Wheel and light drizzle of Honey
Instructions: In a mixing tin, combine 1800 Cristalino, matcha powder, lime juice, and honey syrup. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain over fresh ice into rocks glass. Garnish with a lime wheel lightly drizzled with honey.
15. Mayenda Elevated Margarita
INGREDIENTS:
1.5 oz Mayenda Blanco Tequila
0.75 oz Agave Syrup
0.75 oz Lime Juice
Hibiscus Powder Dusted Glass
METHOD:
1. Fill a shaker with ice, add all ingredients together and shake
2. Strain into a shallow coupe glass.
16. Passion Margarita
RECIPE:
2oz Cincoro Blanco
.75oz Passion Fruit Liqueur
.5oz Muddled Jalapenos
.5oz fresh lime
.25oz Agave
METHOD: Combine, shake and strain over ice
GARNISH: dehydrated lime and tajin rim
17. Peach Frost
Directions:
3 ounce Southbound Reposado
1 ½ ounces Lemon juice
2 ounce high quality peach liqueur
1/2 ounce (16g) honey
8 dashes of peach bitters
8 slices Frozen Peaches (3 ounce)
14 ice cubes (8 ounces)
Directions:
Add all ingredients to the Beast blender (Frozen peaches last), 2 super cold margarita (gold rimmed glasses). Garnish with grated frozen peaches and basil.
18. Pineapple Margarita
INGREDIENTS:
1.5 oz Patrón Silver
.5 oz Citrónge Orange Liqueur
1 oz Pineapple juice
.5 oz Lime juice
+Tajín rim
+Lime wedge for garnish
HOW TO MAKE:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
Shake until combined and chilled.
Strain into a Tajín-rimmed rocks glass filled with ice.
Garnish with a lime wedge.
19. Shotta-Rita
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Mango Shotta
.75 oz lime juice
¾ oz Mr. Boston Triple Sec
¼ oz simple syrup
Tajin for garnish
Method: Add all ingredients into a shake; shake and strain over ice in a rocks glass. Add a tajin rim for a little extra spice.
20. Spicy Cucumber Margarita
INGREDIENTS
2 oz LALO Tequila
2 oz Lime Juice
1.5 oz Pineapple Juice
.5 Small Cucumber
2-4 Slices of Jalapeño
1-2 TBSPS of Agave Syrup
DIRECTIONS:
Rim edge of glass with lime wedge and dip in Tajín or salt. Add ingredients to blender and strain when smooth. In a cocktail shaker, muddle slices of jalapeño, ice, cocktail mix, and shake until chilled. Strain into glass. Serve with extra lime wedges and garnish with jalapeño slices.
21. Spicy Grapefruit
2oz. Dos Hombres Mezcal
2 oz. Grapefruit Juice
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
Chili Powder
Directions: Pour 2 oz. of Dos Hombres Mezcal into a rocks glass with 2 oz. of grapefruit juice. Mix with 3/4 oz. of lime. Add a dash of chili powder and shake. Enjoy!
22. Skinny Margarita
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. (45ml) PaQuí Silvera Tequila
.75 oz. (22.5ml) Fresh Lime Juice
.50 oz. (15ml) Fresh Orange Juice
Bar Spoon Agave Nectar
Preparation:
Combine ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice and shake until cold.
Strain into a half-salted rim margarita glass.
23. Turmeric Margarita
Ingredients
1.5oz Astral Tequila Blanco
0.75oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.75oz Peppercorn-Honey Syrup
Pinch of Turmeric Powder
Garnish: Turmeric Powder
Glassware: Rocks Glass
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with turmeric powder.
24. Sweet Heat
Ingredients:
1 part Dulce Vida Pineapple Jalapeño Tequila
3 parts Club Soda
Squeeze of Fresh Lime
Garnish with a Slice of Pineapple or a Lime
Directions: Pour all ingredients over ice in a glass and squeeze fresh lime to taste. Stir, garnish and enjoy.
25. Watermelon Grape Margarita
Ingredients
1 cup Gran Centenario Plata Tequila
2 cups Frozen Watermelon
2 cups Frozen Red Seedless Grapes
¾ cup Fresh Lime Juice
1 cup Simple Syrup
1 cup Ice
2 slices Seeded Jalapeño or Serrano Chile (Optional)
Garnish: Lime wheel and fresh red grapes
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
Garnish with lime wedge and fresh red grapes.
Recipe serves 4
26. Winter Marg
Source:Cantera Negra
Ingredients:
1.5 parts Cantera Negra Reposado Tequila
0.5 part Fresh lime juice
0.5 part Fresh blood orange juice
0.5 part Agave syrup
0.75 tsp Vanilla extract
Directions:
Rim a rocks glass with winter spice mix.* Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into prepped rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
*Winter spice mix: .5 tsp salt, .5 tsp sugar, .25 tsp cinnamon, and .25 tsp chili powder
