Heading down Mexico way and celebrating National Margarita Day is a great excuse to party hacienda-style and experiment with some of the best blanco tequilas from Jalisco.
One of the most popular and enduring cocktails, the margarita’s ‘wheels of fortune’ are its limes – the key ingredient that marries the tequila and orange liqueur to create the sweet and tangy flavours we love so much.
Whether they’re floating in a rock glass with plenty of ice, or decorating the salted rim, an easy party trick is to place the limes in a microwave for 20 seconds to extract the most from your citrus fruit.
And despite most bars having their own version of a margarita, and mixologists wanting to play the field and rework the recipe, this simple classic isn’t always easy to get right.
“Increasingly, more of our guests ask for margaritas nowadays – but they know what they want. They are looking for classic, well-made styles – following traditional principles,” says James Manero, co-founder of The Natural Philosopher, London.
To help you master the margarita and try some tricks of the trade, here are six 100% blue agave blanco tequilas that can be sipped on their own over ice, but also taste delicious with lime juice, a salt rim and a measure of sweetness…
TAPATIO BLANCO TEQUILA
£29.99, 50cl, www.selfidges.com
A favourite in trendy restaurants and bars, Tapatio is spicy and full bodied with aromas of agave and tropical fruits, with more agave, vanilla and white pepper on the lingering finish.
GRAN CENTENARIO PLATA TEQUILA
£29.50, 70cl, www.31dover.com
The bottle is inspired by the art deco style and this stand-out tequila has an oak influence with sweet agave and honey on the nose, a honeyed, creamy palate with pepper, toffee and citrus on the soft, full finish.
RIVA TEQUILA BLANCO
£31, 70cl, www.harveynichols.com
Fresh and youthful with flowery and grassy aromas, there’s spicy agave on the palate with white pepper, sweet citrus fruit and a clean, crisp finish.
BARTENDER’S TIP: To salt the rim, dip the rim of the glass in lime juice and roll in a plate of sea salt. Aqua Riva Agave Syrup (£4.49, Waitrose) has a neutral flavour and makes a really good sweet alternative to triple sec.
If you find one of the below Tommy recipes too tart, add more syrup, or if it’s too sweet, add more lime.
1800 SILVER TEQUILA
£29.25, 70cl, www.whiskyexchnage.com
1800 takes its name from the first year tequila was produced and beguiling vanilla aromas are followed by a flowery, fresh, creamy palate with a hint of nougat and gentle spice on the earthy finish. Here’s their recipe to try at home…
1800 TOMMY’S MARGARITA
50ml 1800 Silver
2tsp agave syrup
20ml lime juice
Fresh lime for garnish
Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the ingredients, shake well and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a wedge of lime.
TEQUILA PATRON
£35.90, 70cl, www.amazon.co.uk
Floral and fresh with light, citrusy notes, the pleasing sweetness, spice and mineral note on the delicate finish lends Patron well to this citrus serve that’s refreshing and balanced…
PATRON TOMMY’S MARGARITA
35ml Patron Silver
15ml agave syrup
50ml fresh lime juice
Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add the ingredients and shake well.
Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lime wheel.
DON JULIO BLANCO
£44.90, 70cl, www.alexanderandjames.com
Fresh with a delicate herbal nose, it has a citrusy, tropical character with lime and grapefruit leading to agave, pepper and a grassy, soft finish. Here’s their recipe using Grand Marnier which kicks it up a notch…
MARGARITA LEGENDARIO
30ml Don Julio Blanco
15ml fresh lime juice
15ml Grand Marnier
Salt
1 lime wedge
Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add the ingredients and shake well, then strain into an old-fashioned cocktail glass rimmed with salt and filled with ice cubes.
Garnish with the lime wedge.