The 10 Best Tequila Drinks On The Planet
NEW YORK — Originating from the city of Tequila, Mexico and derived from the blue agave plant, Tequila is one of the most celebrated spirits in the world.;
The Aztec’s originally named a drink derived from fermented agave plants;or;pulque, prior to the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in 1521 who began brewing a similar drink after they ran out of their own brandy.
Mexican law to this day states that the drink can only be made in a handful of southwestern Mexican states. The U.S. officially recognizes spirits labeled ‘tequila’ if they have been produced in Mexico, but do allow bulk shipments to be bottled in the U.S.
There are two types of Tequilas, mixtos and 100% agave. Mixtos mix glucose and fructose sugars with no less than 51% agave to make the spirit.
The liquor is split into five different categories
- Blanco :;white spirit, unaged
- Joven :;unaged silver tequila that may be flavored with caramel coloring
- Reposado :;aged a minimum of two months
- Anejo :;aged a minimum of one year
- Extra Anejo :;aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels
Tequila is extremely versatile and goes well with plenty of mixers. As time has passed there have been a number of exotic variations to the drink.
Here are the 10 best tequila cocktails found anywhere:
Tequila Drink #10: ;Mayan Mule
Ingredients:
- 2 parts Milagro Reposado Tequila;
- 0.5 parts Lime Juice
A dash of lime juice3 dashes celery salt1 teaspoon dijon mustardCelery stalk for garnish
Tequila Drink #2: ;El Diablo
Ingredients:
Ingredients Do Matter For Keto Tequila Cocktails
Its all about fresh lime juice, and fresh lime or lemon wedges, Pyure Organic Sweetener or some other sugar-free sweetener like Nu Naturals Simple Syrup. Add some , and a few surprise ingredients, and you can have delicious, gluten-free, low carb margaritas in no time.
So if you are counting carbs, net carbs per serving, or otherwise, I would suggest staying away from store-bought margarita mix. Instead, use my skinny margarita, mojito, and other recipes listed here, and as a result, youll be able to indulge and not feel guilty. Also, all of these six keto tequila cocktails would pair perfectly with my keto tacos and my keto guacamole. Im just saying! These keto recipes are amazing, promise. Pait them with a keto meal as the finishing touch.
I havent included carbs per cocktail recipe, but these carb cocktails range from zero to just under six carbs and are sugar-free, fabulous keto drinks, and perfect for living a keto life. As an aside, make sure to drink water when you drink your cocktails.
Best Tequila Cocktail Recipes In 2021
Tequila is so much more than the woozy main ingredient of a classic or the popular Paloma. The agave spirit can do it all and in wondrous fashion. Sure, tequila can do most of the heavy lifting in a refreshing end-of-summer drink like Ranch Water. Yet, as Clinton Terry, beverage director for Nautilus Pier 4 in Boston, knows, tequila is far more dynamic than many of us give it credit for. He likes it in everything from a crafty cocktail to a ceviche dish or even splashed into some salsa verde.
From a mixing standpoint, some Terry excels at, he implores that fresh ingredients are used when making cocktails with tequila. Nothing will substitute for actually juicing a lemon, lime or grapefruit, he says. If you start with a good product and add a good product, it makes for a good cocktail.
Terry also champions balance. You want to taste the spirit and you want to taste the other ingredients, he said. He also acknowledges that no two palates are exactly alike, so hone in on whatever flavors you really like. Remember to do everything in proper proportion, he added. You can always do shots on the side if you want more tequila.
Beyond that, its all about keeping things relatively simple and, in some cases, just being frugal. Dont have a juicer? Get some freshly squeezed stuff from Whole Foods. Use what youve already got, he adds. If you dont have a shaker at home, use a pint container with a lid and ice you can make it work.
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Most Versatile: Corralejo Reposado
Region: Guanajuato, Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Honey, Peppercorn, Oak
Jenny Harris, bar manager of San Diego’s Point Loma Fish Shop, says you cant lose with this reposado produced at Tequilera Corralejo. Located east of Jalisco in the neighboring state of Guanajuato, this distillery is rated among tequilas top 100 by the Sanschagrins Tequila Matchmaker user base. This reposado is aged in American oak barrels, giving off an oaky profile that Harris particularly likesalong with flavors of peppercorn, honey, and, of course, agave. Its a tequila that starts with a woody, nutty aroma, rolls sweetly over the palate, and finishes with a slightly bitter spiciness.;
Neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail, is always going to be delicious and smooth. Jenny Harris, bar manager of San Diego’s Point Loma Fish Shop
Take A Sip Of This Iconic Mexican Spirit
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Liquor / Chloe Jeong
Every spirit has its “moment”sometimes more than onceand just like whiskey in the pre-prohibition era, rum in the midcentury tiki craze, and vodka in the swingin’ sixties and seventies, tequila is currently the darling of the spirits world. Nutrition consultants saddle it with various health claims , and it seems like every day that yet another celebrity is launching a new tequila brand. However, to longtime aficionados like Grover and Scarlet Sanschagrin, the Jalisco-based founders of the website Tequila Matchmaker, there’s something to be said for the old, artisan production methods and for the flavors they yield: herbs, spices, and the briny, bittersweet signature of agave.
But the sheer volume of tequila brands currently competing for shelf space means that there’s truly a bottle out there for every consumer. The Consejo Regulador del Tequila, the spirits regulatory body, lists 1,754 tequilas currently in productionand these include bottles labeled blanco , reposado , añejo , and several other increasingly esoteric categories. Whether you like your tequila neat or mixed with cocktails, here are the best tequilas available today.
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Angostura Bitters To Seal The Deal
The tequila sour works without bitters. But for the very best tequila sour, we recommend adding a few drops of bitters! Angostura bitters are popularly used in cocktails to add a complex and bitter undertone. They take a drink from one-note to extraordinarily complex with just a few drops! In this drink, we added the bitters to the cocktail itself: youll see some egg white cocktails also place the bitters drops on top of the foam.
Angostura bitters are one of the most popular in drinks and easy to find. They get the name from their manufacturer: the House of;Angostura;in Trinidad and Tobago. ;Other cocktails that use Angostura bitters?;The;Old Fashioned, Toronto, Manhattan, Trinidad Sour and;Champagne Cocktail.
The Ranch Water Recipe
Step into the shoes of a rancher and enjoy this West Texas staple. Requiring only three ingredients, this cocktail has recently soared into popularity among consumers and trade members alike. To make one, add tequila blanco and fresh lime juice to a chilled bottle of Topo Chico mineral water no glassware required.
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Use Tequila Reposado If You Have It
Any type of tequila works for this tequila sour: we recommend finding one in a mid-price range or above. The quality of the drink is only as good as the liquor! We also like using tequila repsoado in this drink, because it adds more nuance to the drink. Think: subtle flavors of vanilla and caramel. But you can also use tequila blanco: it just has a more straightforward flavor!
Best For Palomas: Siembra Valles High Proof
Courtesy of TequilaConnection
Region: Jalisco, Mexico;| ABV: 46%;| Tasting Notes: Licorice, Black pepper, Freshly-cut grass
Siembra Valles boasts a formidable line of classically-produced tequilas, but their high-proof offering is particularly excellent in cocktailsespecially citrus-forward drinks like the paloma. This boldly-flavored tequila is produced very traditionally, with the agave cooked in brick ovens, the crushing being done via tahona, and the fermentation taking place with the bagasse , which adds richness and complexity. Finally, double-distillation in copper stills yields a delicious spirit that’s bottled at a robust 46 percent ABV. Use this in your next paloma, and you’ll be able to look forward to assertive notes of black pepper, citrus, licorice, and freshly-cut grass intermingling perfectly with the grapefruit and lime in your glass.
Region: Jalisco, Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Pine, Lavender, Vanilla
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Is There A Vegan Egg White Substitute For Cocktails
There is! If youre proficient in vegan cooking, you can probably guess. Its aquafaba! Aquafaba is the liquid thats in a can of chickpeas. Because its starchy, it can work as a binder similar to an egg. Two tablespoons of aquafaba is equal to one egg white, you can use 2 tablespoons of aquafaba in this recipe as an equivalent to the actual egg white. It makes for the same type of foam!
What’s The Difference Between Tequila And Mezcal
You may have heard the rumor that the spirit known as mezcal is simply a smoky version of tequila. In fact, the truth is closer to the reverse of that: the term “mezcal” refers broadly to any distillate of the agave plant produced in Mexico, so the spirit called tequila is simply one specific type of mezcal. While government regulations allow for the production of mezcal in nine different Mexican states, tequila may only be produced in five states: Jalisco, Michoacán, Nayarit, Guanajuato, and certain parts of Tamaulipas. Addionally, while mezcal may be produced from dozens of different agave varietiesresulting in numerous distinct styles and flavor profilestequila may only be produced from the blue Weber agave.
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If You Have Tequila You Can Definitely Make One Of These 3
We already know tequila is delicious on its own. When you’re using a quality 100% agave spirit, cocktails don’t need much to complement the herbal, sweet, and spicy flavors. So keep your tequila cocktails simple.
We’ve rounded up some three-ingredient drinks that cover all the bases, from and agave-enhanced classics to nostalgic throwbacks like the Tequila Sunrise.;
Cdigo 1530 Rosa Tequila
Drizly
Smooth and delicate, Código 1530s Rosa Tequila makes for perfect after-work sipping, or used in a hand-crafted cocktail. Produced using the tequila-making traditions of the Los Bajos region and its tequilieras, the tequila is meticulously aged inFrench White Oakred wine barrels from Napa Valley. That gives the Rosa a subtle pink hue, and a sweet yet dry finish.
Country singer George Strait is an investor in the brand, and even wrote a song inspired by the tequila off his 2019 album, Honkey Tonk Time Machine.
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How To Make A Tequila Sour
The tequila sour is made like any classic sour cocktail. Because it has an egg white foam, it has an extra step to make the foam topping. Here are the basic steps :
The technique above for getting that beautiful foam topping is called a dry shake! Heres more about it
The Winter Paloma Recipe
This cold weather-friendly riff on the Paloma calls for pomegranates to bring in extra sweetness, while tart cranberry juice balances out the flavor. Combine these juices with your favorite blanco tequila, top it off with soda water, and garnish with a lime wedge for a highball thats craveable all year round.
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Teremana Small Batch Tequila
Wine.com
The Rocks premium tequila brand has been flying off store shelves ever since its launch last March. Now, fans of Dwayne Johnson and tequila alike can purchase Teremana online and get it delivered to their door.
The ultra-premium highlands tequila uses all the beverage buzz words, like small batch production, and distilled in handmade copper pot stills. But beyond the hype, its a smooth, easy to drink option; naturally sweetened with the rich aroma of mature agave plants, with a clean finish.
The name, Johnson explains, was inspired by his Polynesian background. TERA means of the Earth and MANA is our powerful Polynesian spirit that guides us. Spirit of the Earth, he says.
Know This About Organic Tequila
In order for a tequila to be considered organic, the agave needs to be organically grown and organic farming is difficult, says Fodor. If a tequila is USDA-certified organic, it will clearly appear on the spirit’s label, so it’s a little easier to identify than the presence of additives but just because a tequila is organic doesn’t mean it is free of additives, which means it doesn’t necessarily make a difference on how healthy it is or isn’t. However, if buying organic is part of your lifestyle, seeking out “smaller, craft distillers who are producing in the same way they have for generations, you’re much more likely to find sustainable and organic practices being used,” says Kissick.
In the grand scheme, it’s better to seek out an additive-free tequila over certified organic because the certification process is expensive and lengthy, so some companies forgo it even if they have a quality product and meet most of the qualifications.
“To be included on the Tequila Matchmaker list you must have your distillery inspected, which I think is more sound than the organic certification (as there are so few on the market , and if a different tequila is being made at the same distillery non organically, you can’t claim to be organic on the bottle,” emphasizes Maxwell Reis, beverage director of Gracias Madre, a vegan Mexican restaurant in West Hollywood, California.
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Essential And Popular Tequila Cocktails For 2021
Between the undeniable popularity of the and the emergence of celebrity-backed brands, tequila is trending. And while there are countless ways to enjoy the spirit both on its own and in cocktails were taking it back to basics with the classic tequila recipes we cant get enough of.
Looking to embrace agave this spring? Read on for the eight essential tequila cocktail recipes that showcase the simple elegance of the Mexican spirit.
drop!
Forever the hero of summertime, the Margarita is the worlds most beloved tequila cocktail. And for good reason. The beauty of this three-ingredient beverage is in its simplicity. Just combine blanco tequila with lime juice and the orange liqueur of your choice, shake with ice, and strain into a glass with ice. Garnish with a lime, and be instantly transported to a tropical paradise.
Tanteo Puerto Vallarta Smash
I love the play of sweet and spicy with peaches and habanero. The basil and jalapeño add a freshness that screams drink me on a long summer day while overlooking the beach!;Daniel Kurtzman, general manager at Tall Boy Taco
68 small basil leaves
½ jalapeño
Method: Muddle basil, jalapeños, and agave nectar in shaker.;Add ice and the rest of the ingredients. Shake vigorously and strain into rocks glass with crushed ice. Garnish with Tajín rim.
The Tres Agaves El Diablo
Daniel Krieger
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What Is The Easiest Tequila Cocktail To Make
The Tequila Sunrise. Its the first combination on our list above and all you need is your favorite brand of tequila, some orange juice, and a bottle of Grenadine.
Also sharing a very simple tequila cocktail recipe below. Similar to our strawberry tequila sodas, this one is made with grapefruit soda.
Also check out our dirty martini made with tequila! Its SO good!
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A Little Bit About Agave
Agave is a succulent that was once considered the most sacred plant in Mexican pre-Columbian cultures , explains Adam Fodor, founder of the International Tequila Academy. “Its leaves were used to create roofing, clothes, ropes, and paper,” he says. Out of more than 200 species of agave, nearly 160 species can be found in its native Mexico. “The middle part, which we refer to as ‘piña’ or ‘corazón’ can be cooked and chewed on,” says Fodor. Tequila is derived from cooking the “piña” before distilling it at least twice.
ICYDK, raw agave is prized for its nutritious health benefits. “Agavin, the natural sugar found in the sap of the raw agave plant, is believed to behave like a dietary fiber which may improve glycemic control and boost satiety ,” says Eve Persak, M.S., R.D.N. Preliminary studies suggest raw agave sap also contains modest amounts of prebiotics , saponins , antioxidants and plant-based iron , she says.
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Delectable Tequila Cocktail Recipes For Any Celebration
You mastered the back in the day and you were the first of your friends to try an avocado margarita, so you’re no stranger to delicious tequila-based drinks. But if you need inspiration for the agave-based liquor, these tequila cocktails are here to make your celebration even happier.