Margaritas continue to please palates as America’s favorite cocktail. Whether your favorite is fruity, spicy or the original classic, every home mixologist would benefit from adding new margarita recipes to their arsenal. To mix it up on National Margarita Day and beyond, we’ve curated a menu full of creative and delicious tequila and mezcal margaritas that bring some unexpected twists to this refreshing happy hour icon.
MIJENTA MARGARITA
Recipe from: Mijenta Tequila
2 Parts Mijenta Tequila Blanco
1 Part Fresh Lime Juice
1 Part Triple Sec
Method: Add all three ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously with plenty of ice. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice and rimmed with salt or Tajin. Garnish with a lime wheel.
CINCORO SPICY MARGARITA
Recipe from: Cincoro Tequila, the award-winning portfolio of luxury tequilas co-founded by basketball legend Michael Jordan.
1.5 oz Cincoro Blanco
.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
½ oz Agave Nectar
¼ Muddled Jalapeno
Tajin
Method: Muddle jalapeno in a mixing glass. Rim a glass with lime and Tajin. Combine remainder of ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain over a rimmed-glass filled with fresh ice.
1800 GHOST MARGARITA
Recipe from: 1800 Cristalino Tequila
2 oz. 1800 Cristalino
¾ oz. baking spice syrup (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice)
½ oz. clarified lime juice
Baking spice vapor*
Method: Combine tequila, baking spice syrup, and clarified lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice, and shake vigorously. Strain into a coupe glass over fresh ice. Garnish with grated nutmeg and baking spice vapor.
*Baking Spice Vapor Directions: Steep 2 cinnamon sticks, 5 allspice pods and 2 nutmeg pods in a glass of warm water. Add 2 small pellets of dry ice into the water. Allow the reaction to create a thick vapor, and carefully pour just the vapor over the cocktail.
ILEGAL EL POBLANO MARGARITA
Recipe from: Ilegal Mezcal, an artisanal mezcal with a hint of smoke.
2 oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven
2 slices Poblano peppers
1 oz lime juice
0.5 oz agave nectar
Chipotle salt:
3 tsp chipotle en adobo purée
1 cup kosher salt
Mix ingredients together and let dry.
Method: Add ingredients to shaker and shake. Strain into stemmed glass with chipotle salt rim. Garnish with a Poblano slice.
APPLE CIDER MARGARITA
Recipe from: Flecha Azul Tequila
2 oz Flecha Azul Anejo Tequila
2 oz apple cider
1oz lime juice
1oz Triple sec
½ oz agave syrup
Rim:
1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
Method: Rim the glass by running a lime wedge over the lip. On a separate shallow plate, combine cinnamon sugar and salt. Dip glass. Add all liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour into a glass filled with ice and serve.
TURMERIC MARGARITA
Recipe from: Astral Tequila
1.5oz Astral Tequila Blanco
.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
.75 oz Peppercorn-Honey Syrup
Pinch of Turmeric Powder
Method: Combine first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with turmeric powder.
ITALICUS MARGARITA
Recipe from: Italicus Rosolio de Bergamotto, an Italian apertivo featuring notes of Calabrian Bergamot.
1 part Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto
1 part Tequila Blanco
½ part lime juice
1 bar spoon agave nectar
Method: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and serve straight
up in a coupette. Garnish with lime zest or green olives.
HIBISCUS MARGARITA
Recipe from: El Tequileño Tequila
1.5 oz El Tequileño Platinum Tequila
2 oz sweetened hibiscus juice
0.5 oz Freshly squeezed lime juice
0.5 oz agave syrup
Garnish: Hibiscus flower, dehydrated lime wheel
Method: Add ingredients to a shaker over cubed ice. Shake until ice cold. Strain into a rocks glass over cubed ice, garnish with a dehydrated (or fresh) lime wheel and a hibiscus flower.
THE PEOPLE’S MARGARITA
Recipe from: Teremana Tequila
2 oz. Teremana Blanco
¾ oz. Lime Juice
½ oz. Agave Nectar
1 oz. Pineapple Juice (to taste)
Garnish: Lime wheel, pineapple leaves and sea salt
Method: Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel, pineapple leaves & sea salt (as desired).
MEZGARITA
Recipe from: Bosscal Mezcal
2 oz. Bosscal Mezcal
.75 oz. Pierre Ferrand Orange Curacao
.75 Lime Juice, fresh pressed
.25 Monin Agave Syrup
Garnish: Lime wheel, Kosher salt.
Method: Add ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a double Old Fashioned glass with a salted rim. Garnish with a lime wheel.
CUCUMBER WATERMELON MARGARITA
Recipe from: Milagro Tequila
2 parts Milagro Silver
1 part fresh lime juice
¾ parts agave nectar* (alternate: Simple Syrup)
4 parts watermelon chunks
2 slices cucumber
Garnish: Tajin, 1 Cucumber spear, 1 Watermelon spear
Method: Muddle watermelon and cucumber in a Boston shaker. Add remaining ingredients and ice. Shake vigorously and strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with Tajin-dusted watermelon and cucumber spears.
