What Tequila To Use For Margaritas

History Of The Margarita

Although there are many variants of the regular and frozen margarita recipe, the original is still the favorite of margarita lovers: tequila, fresh lime juice , triple sec , and ice, all of which are served in a glass rimmed with salt.

So, what are the real roots of the now-loved frozen margarita recipe? Anything as famous and near-perfect as that frozen concoction that helps us hold on is bound to attract a lot of people who demand credit for their birth.

One very popular tale is that the original margarita was invented back in the late 1930s in Tijuana, at the restaurant of Carlos Danny Herrera known as Rancho La Gloria. As is always the case with new cocktails, the original purpose was to disguise the harsh taste and burn of the liquor involved, in this case, tequila. Since tequila has been enjoyed with lime and salt for a long time, all it took was a complimentary sweet ingredient and the margarita was born. It wouldnt be long before it was all thrown into a blender and the first glorious, slushy, frozen margarita recipe was adapted.

Not so fast, Ms. Sames. Ever heard of Jose Cuervo tequila? Of course, you have if youve ordered a margarita at most bars in America . The spirits first U.S. importer, Anthony Dias Blue, is credited with writing the advertising slogan, Margarita: its more than a girls name, back in the mid-1940s, several years before the Sames vacation party.

Salt, salt, salt!

• Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Directions:

How Is Tequila Different From Mezcal

Mezcal is sometimes referred to as tequilas smoky cousinbut you may be surprised to learn that tequila is actually a type of mezcal. Technically speaking, mezcal is any distillate of the agave plant produced in Mexico, and tequila certainly meets those qualifications. There are important distinctions, though: to be called tequila, the spirit in question must be made in one of five specific Mexican states , and must be made exclusively from the blue Weber variety of agave. Meanwhile, the term mezcal refers to an agave distillate made from one of nine specific Mexican states , which may be made from dozens of different agave varietieseither as a single-variety expression or as a blend. While mezcals will vary greatly in flavor profile based on agave variety and geographical origin, its not uncommon for them to have a characteristic roasty flavor from the time the agave spends roasting underground.

What Is The Best Liqueur For Margarita

If its Margaritas youre mixing, here are the nine best bottles to turn to. Cointreau. Grand Marnier. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao. Giffard Premium Liqueur Curaçao Triple Sec. Tattersall Liqueur Orange Crema. Clément Créole Shrubb Liqueur dOrange. Lazzaroni Liquori Triplo Autentico. Patrón Citrónge Extra Fine Orange Liqueur.

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If You Love The Margarita

Try the Tequila and Tonic, which is a lot like the Gin and Tonic, but with tequila. Its bubbly and refreshing and delicious.

And then theres the White Lizard, with tequila, grapefruit juice and lime. This is a great cocktail for reviving you after a long day.

And definitely check out all our for lots more variations you can enjoy.

Choosing The Best Tequila For Margaritas

The number of different Tequilas on the market is endless. And many will make for a great Margarita cocktail. Still, choosing a suitable bottle can be a confusing undertaking. So, here are some rules of thumb to make sure you don’t overspend when visiting your local liquor store.

• Tequila Blanco is the type to go for. Sometimes it’s called Silver, sometimes Crystal or Plata, but mostly Blanco is stated on the bottle. These bright and fresh expressions will make a traditional, refreshing, and zingy Margaritas.
• Most mid-priced Blanco Tequilas will work well in a Margarita. Some won’t be perfect, and others are exceptional, but overall you can’t go totally wrong when opting for a middle-class Blanco Tequila ranging from $25 – $35.
• In general: Choose a Blanco for fresh and zingy Margaritas, opt for a Reposado if you prefer more mellow versions, and stick with Añejos for sipping neat. There are exceptions, but it works as a rule of thumb. It’s easy to waste a considerable sum of money on an Añejo that won’t work in a Margarita.

Now that you know the basics, here’s our list of the best Tequilas to mix Margaritas.

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Best Cheap: Sauza Silver Tequila

Budget tequilas are tricky, and it is very easy to get burned when you buy the wrong one. Sauza Silver is one that wont let you down or leave your mouth on fire. It may not be as smooth as top-shelf tequilas, but it is one of the best affordable options, and its in nearly every liquor store.

Sauza is distilled in the town of Tequila and right across the street from Jose Cuervo. While both brands are famous for their cheap gold tequilas, Sauzas 100 percent blue Weber agave silver tequila is a smoother option for tequila shots when you want to save money. It makes a nice margarita as well, particularly when blended with fruits like strawberry and pineapple.

Bottle Size: 750 milliliters | Tasting Notes: Fresh agave, fiber, pepper | ABV: 40% | Region: Los Valles, Jalisco

Silver tequilas are unaged and the most affordable of any brands lineup. Tequila Herradura offers a brilliant example that should be almost anywhere you look. It is premium, but not priced out of reach for the average drinker, and it always produces a great tequila cocktail.

Bottle Size: 750 milliliters | Tasting Notes: Cooked agave, citrus, black pepper | ABV: 40% | Region: Tequila Valley, Jalisco

Is Tequila Better For You Than Other Distilled Spirits

How much time do you have? You can lose an entire evening going down the internet rabbit hole regarding wellness claims related to agave spirits . The claim that tequila and mezcal don’t serve up brutal hangovers is best answered by experimentationeverybody responds differently to different inputs, after all. But what we can tell you is that unaged tequila contains lower proportions of congenerssubstances like acetone and tannins, which are potential hangover culpritsthan red wine or aged spirits. Make sure you’re choosing a tequila that’s 100 percent agave, however many of the cheaper tequila brands are classified as mixtos, a category that may include up to 49% non-agave material such as molasses and high-fructose corn syrup.

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How To Make A Margarita

Now that you know what the best tequilas for margaritas are, itâs time to make some. Grab your salt, limes, and cocktail shaker, and have fun being your own householdâs bartender. If youâre really inspired, you may want to check out some common bartender duties or learn about the drinks every bartender should know.

With some practice, patience, and the right ingredients, you can become an expert at making popular cocktail recipes in no time. Check out some of the summer cocktails, fall cocktails, winter cocktails, and spring cocktails you can make.

The following standardized recipe yields two servings and takes less than 10 minutes to make. Some might call it magic.

Hereâs what youâll need to make a delicious margarita:

• 4 oz. tequila silver
• 1 ½ oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¼ c. salt
• Ice

Once youâve gathered all the ingredients listed above, itâs time to shake things up.

Follow these directions to make your magical margaritas:

Whats Better For Margaritas Silver Or Gold Tequila

When it comes down to it, silver tequila is preferable to gold tequila when it comes to margaritas.They are matured differently, with silver tequila having a stronger, purer taste and being clear in color, whilst gold tequila has a darker hue and a stronger flavor.Because of its simplicity, it is the ideal mixer for mixed cocktails, since it pairs well with a variety of different taste profiles.

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Which Tequila Is The Cheapest

Which Tequila Is The Smoothest

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Solento Organic Tequila Reposado

An ideal pick for both the wellness enthusiasts and the aesthetes, Solento Organic Tequila produces small-batch, single-estate tequilas in the most beautiful bottles worthy of display. The brand’s name is based on the Spanish translation of the words “slow sun,” and it invites Solento drinkers to slow down from their high-powered lives and enjoy each moment with every sip.

After being harvested from an estate in Jalisco, Solento’s agave hearts are cooked in stone ovens for two days before being pressed. The juice is naturally fermented and distilled, and is aged in oak barrels for another layer of complexity. The brand’s highly rated Reposado features slightly sweet notes of citrus, brioche, and caramel, plus a rich, amber color that enhances the margarita-drinking experience. It’s also USDA-certified organic you know, if you’re into that sort of thing. Solento Tequila is available at select liquor stores nationwide and is available for purchase through its website. The Tequila Reposado retails for $66.

A Solid Tequila Is The First Step Toward A Stellar Marg

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The is a classic and simple cocktail comprising a few ingredients: lime juice, a sweetener , and tequila. This last component is by far the most important, and luckily, we are awash in options.

There are excellent tequilas from brands using traditional methods such as brick oven cooking and tahona milling, as well as distilleries using modern technology like diffusers. While blanco, minimally or unaged tequila, is traditionally the bottle of choice for a Margarita, aged expressions such as reposado can be employed as well, and sometimes a high-proof offering is the key to a killer cocktail. Here are the best tequilas for making Margaritas all year long.

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Only Use Tequila Made From 100% Blue Weber Agave

If you choose the right Tequila for making your Margarita, make sure it’s 100% blue weber agave. You may have heard that Tequila always has to be made of this type of agave. And you’re right. You cannot use another agave variety. Yet, not all Tequilas are made of 100% agave.

A Tequila mixto is allowed to add a maximum of 49% of sugar to the agave juice. That leaves you with only 51% agave and quite possibly a serious headache the morning after your Margarita night.

Thankfully, brands state it on the bottle if their Tequila is made of 100% agave. Just watch out for this note, and you’re fine.

Cazcanes No 9 Blanco Tequila

No. 9 Cazacanes Blanco’s handmade glass bottle houses a delectable 100-proof liquor. A well-rounded flavor profile is formed by the clean, dry taste that pervades sweet floral notes with just a trace of black peppercorn.

And this tequila won the coveted San Francisco World Spirits Competition awards for the best tequila and best unaged white spirit in 2018. With that, it received the highest possible rank of double gold for the second year in a row.

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Roca Patrn Silver Tequila

ABV: 45%Price: $75

Roca Patrón Silver is the second espression by Patrón in this list. The line focuses on old production methods like using a stone wheel tahona for milling agave. This traditional way of milling piñas is said to extract more flavors. The result is a milder and more refined Blanco, especially compared to Patrón’s standard Silver.

The price for this Tequila is premium, but you also get an extra 5% of ABV. On the palate, this is hardly noticeable as the Roca expressions are super smooth. Instead, you will notice the sweet notes of cooked agave, lemon and lime zest, and pepper.

Artenom Seleccion De 1580 Blanco Tequila

ArteNom 1580 Blanco Tequila is created from agave grown at 6,200 feet, putting it in the highland alcohol category.

The aroma is rich roasted agave flavors with ripe pineapple, salty notes, light cinnamon, faint green jalapeño pepper, and dill. It has good taste and complexity right away, and the flavors are beautifully balanced.

The midpalate loses some of the sweetness and introduces white pepper, jalapeño, and cinnamon spice. Things start to dry up in the midpalate, and a little lime is added to the mix. The finish is somewhat dry and a little bit spicy.

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Best High Proof: Herradura Directo De Alambique

Region: Jalisco, Mexico | ABV: 55% | Tasting Notes: Herbs, Olive oil, Citrus

While most tequila is bottled at 80 proof, there are other options with a higher ABV. One comes from Herradura, a tequila brand owned by beverage giant Brown-Forman. This unaged tequila clocks in at 110 proof, so make sure you are drinking responsibly.

silver tequila has a delicious cooked agave flavor that I enjoy very much, says Holguin. In this expression, the notes are complemented by pepper and herbal flavors, with a slight burn from the higher ABV.

Region: Jalisco, Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Orange flower blossom, Vanilla, Cinnamon

Wine barrel aging is a technique used by a few tequila brands, including Código 1530. The aged expressions are matured in Napa Valley French oak wine barrels, with the Rosa spending just one month picking up flavors and its comely pink hue. Fermented using a yeast sourced from a small family bakery in the town of Amatitán, the Rosa offers bright agave notes up front before finishing with an unmistakable hint of the cabernet sauvignon that previously occupied the barrels.

Tequila Goes In More Than Just Margaritas Find Out What To Mix With Tequila From Juices To Syrups And More

Everybody knows tequila! Its the smooth liquor we all love in an icy margarita. However, tequila is much more than that! This capable liquor has a versatility that rivals vodka, which is why it works as well in fruity drinks as it does in carnitas or fruit salads.

But those are just the tip of the iceberg! Get a bunch more mixer ideas ahead.

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What Is Triple Sec For Margaritas

When it comes to Margaritas, the phrase triple sec is used interchangeably with curaçao. Triple sec is a sort of orange liqueur that imparts fruity tastes as well as sweet and bitter undertones all of which are necessary for a well crafted Margarita. Cointreau, Combier, Pierre Ferrand Curaçao, and Grand Marnier are among of the most well-known brands.

So Which Kind Works Better In Margaritas

Now, to finally answer the question at hand: which is better for making a margarita? While at the end of the day, it really is your preference, mixologists and tequila experts agree that there is a better choice when it comes to tequila for margaritas.

The tequila winner across the board for margaritas is silver or white . This is because silver tequila ages for the shortest amount of time, giving it the strongest and purest taste so it can cut through the other flavorings that youre adding.

When you use silver tequila for margaritas, you are getting a pure tequila taste, which will blend well with other flavorings and mixes. People prefer to sip on gold tequila rather than diluting it into mixed drinks because it has a more unique flavor profile.

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What Is The History Of Tequila And How Is It Made

To understand which is the better tequila for making margaritas, we must first understand the history of tequila and the process in which it is made. Believe it or not, tequila is reported to be 2,000 years old, with its origins stemming from special ceremonies in Mexico.

In fact, legend has it tequila was created on top of a volcano and blessed by the gods. At one time, there were two competing families who produced tequila in Mexico the Cuervos and the Sauzas.

They had a deeply-rooted rivalry that lasted for many years. Now, you can find countless tequila distilleries and brands throughout the country. Its a drink that can be enjoyed by everyone at any age. As for its name? This drink got its name from the town of Tequila, which is near Guadalajara.

For centuries, it was used ceremoniously, just as it was when it originated. However, in roughly the last hundred years or so, it developed into alcohol to be used for drinks and shots. Now its used to get the party going or to be sipped on slowly and savored.

All types of tequila are made from the blue agave plant, and it has to be made in a certain region, or its considered mezcal. To make tequila, agave is first harvested and processed . Then, once it is cooked well enough, it is crushed to release the juice. These juices then move on to the fermentation and distilling processes.