Margarita
the recipe to start with
Rub the rim of a chilled margarita glass with lime and dip it into a small plate of sea salt; leave the inside rim unsalted.
Add the tequila, triple sec and fresh lime juice with ice to the shaker and shake for fifteen seconds until the shaker frosts over.
Strain the cocktail through a fine strainer into the glass, so no ice chips get in.
Hang a lime wheel on the rim and serve immediately, before the salt slides off the rim.
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Tequila, mezcal and what belongs in them
Tequila is made from blue agave from the area around the city of Tequila in Jalisco; mezcal usually comes from Oaxaca and is distilled from agave hearts that are first smoked in an earth oven. That smokiness is the biggest difference. Look for one hundred percent agave on the label: if it does not say that, sugar has been added and you will notice it the next morning. Blanco is unaged and suitable for a Margarita, while reposado has spent months in a barrel and works better in a cocktail with orange, such as the Tequila Sunrise.
The right glass
The margarita glass, with its wide, flat bowl, serves one purpose: its rim provides space for salt, while the wide opening brings the aroma of agave to your nose before you taste it. Allow for 25 to 30 cl, so you still have room left after straining. If you prefer to skip the salted rim, a coupe works too. Longer Mexican cocktails fall outside this glass: a Paloma or Tequila Sunrise needs ice and soda and belongs in a tall glass from our highball glasses.
Arcoroc Elegance Margarita Glass 27 cl (6 pieces)
Bormioli Rocco Ypsilon Margarita Glass 33 cl (2 pieces)
Both sets together € 67,90.
The right tools
For a Mexican cocktail, besides the glass, you use a shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a fine strainer for double straining, a citrus press, and a glass rimmer. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 120,70.
What do you make these Mexican cocktails with?
These Mexican cocktails require the right base. Well-known bottles include Clase Azul and Don Julio. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with, and which glassware you need.
Variations & twists
Replace the triple sec with agave syrup and you get a Tommy's Margarita: drier, with the agave more prominent. A slice of jalapeño in the shaker makes a Spicy Margarita, in which the salt on the rim suddenly makes sense. And if you prefer the whole thing cold and thick, blend it with ice into a Frozen Margarita; use a little more lime, as cold dulls acidity.
Serving tip
Salt only the outside of the rim. Salt that sticks to the inside falls into your glass and makes the last sip undrinkable. Put the glass in the freezer half an hour beforehand; salt adheres better to an ice-cold glass, and the cocktail stays at temperature longer.
Good to know
Which tequila you buy
The label states whether it is one hundred percent agave; anything below that is called mixto and contains up to half cane-sugar alcohol. For cocktails, blanco is the standard: clear, vegetal, and sharp enough to cut through lime and liqueur. Reposado rests on oak for two months to a year and becomes rounder, while añejo rests longer, and the agave then gives way to vanilla. Use mezcal not as a substitute but as an addition. Half a centiliter over a Margarita adds smoke without changing the recipe. One good bottle is enough to make everything on this page.
What makes a Mexican drink?
If you ask for a Mexican drink in Mexico, you will rarely get a Margarita. Much more often, it will be a Paloma: tequila with grapefruit soda, a pinch of salt, and plenty of ice, in a tall glass. Or a michelada, beer with lime, salt, and hot sauce. What these drinks share is the combination of citrus and salt; the agave sits behind it rather than on top. If you want to taste that, start with the Paloma, which is easier to make than the Margarita and less sweet.
Shaken, strained, and rimmed
A Margarita must be shaken hard: fifteen seconds with plenty of ice, until the outside of the shaker becomes frosted. This not only chills it, but also adds water, and that water is part of the recipe. Then strain through a fine-mesh strainer, otherwise ice chips will float in your cocktail. For the salt rim, use a glass rimmer instead of a plate: the layer will be more even and you will spill less. Measure everything before shaking. Our cocktail shakers are grouped together, with jiggers and strainers beside them.
What the Mexican drink is all about
The common thread in Mexican drinks is the combination of citrus, salt, and heat. Always squeeze limes fresh; the bottled kind from the supermarket tastes cooked and ruins any Margarita. Use salt on the rim or as a pinch in the shaker, because a little salt rounds out acidity and makes agave sweeter. Heat comes from fresh chili, usually jalapeño or serrano, which you let infuse for a minute or two. Any longer and it becomes sharp instead of warm. If you want a Mexican drink with heat, start with two thin slices.
Four recipes in order
The four cocktails below progress from sweet to dry. The Tequila Sunrise is the mildest: orange juice with a layer of grenadine at the bottom, and barely any acidity. The Paloma sits in the middle, with grapefruit and salt. The Margarita is sharper and shorter, and the Spicy Margarita adds chili on top of that. Make them in this order and you will taste exactly what each ingredient does. If you want to stick with one bottle for one evening, you can: all four use the same blanco tequila, and only the mixers differ.
Where it usually goes wrong
The first mistake is bottled lime juice; it tastes cooked and throws every Mexican cocktail off balance. The second is using too little ice in the shaker: with three cubes, you shake warm water instead of a cocktail because the ice melts before it cools. Fill the shaker two-thirds full. The third is salting the entire rim, so salt falls into the glass. Dip only the outside edge in salt, and leave part of the rim clear for those who prefer to drink without it.
Frequently asked questions
Which tequila do you use for Mexican cocktails?
Blanco made from one hundred percent agave. It is unaged and retains its vegetal flavor alongside lime and triple sec. If the label doesn't say one hundred percent agave, it's mixto with added sugar alcohol. You can use reposado in cocktails with orange or grapefruit; añejo is too woody for a shaken cocktail.
Which glass is right for a Margarita?
A 25 to 30 cl Margarita glass: a wide bowl, with a flat rim for the salt. View our Margarita glasses. A coupe also works if you drink without a salted rim. For the Paloma and Tequila Sunrise, you need a tall glass, as they include ice and soda.
What is the best-known Mexican drink?
Outside Mexico, the Margarita; in Mexico itself, more often the Paloma. The latter is also easier: tequila, fresh grapefruit juice or grapefruit soda, a splash of lime and a pinch of salt, in a tall glass with plenty of ice. You don't need a shaker and build it in the glass.
Can you make a Margarita without triple sec?
Yes. Replace the 2 cl of triple sec with 1.5 cl of agave syrup and you have a Tommy's Margarita: drier, with more agave. Keep the tequila and lime juice the same. If you don't have agave syrup, simple syrup works too, although it lacks the slightly herbal note that goes with tequila.
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