How To Make The Perfect Classic Margarita Cocktail
The Margarita is like lots of classics in that we really are not sure where it came from.
There are a few versions of where the famed tequila classic originated, but Iâll let you go search those on the internet yourself to see what you believe.
The bottom line is somebody made a really tasty cocktail and you should treat yourself.
What Tequila Should You Use For A Margarita
To make the classic version of the Margarita you will want to use blanco tequila, which means it has been aged or rested for no longer than 2 months .
It is raw, bold, a bit in your face, and absolutely delicious.
I highly encourage you to not buy bottles of tequila at prices that seem way too good to be true. Most of the time really cheap tequilas are cut with another alcohol, have quite a harsh burn, and leave that frat party aftertaste which you really want to leave out of your cocktails.
TIP:
Stay clear of tequila that does not say 100% agave! Bottles that dont say that are typically watered down with neutral grain alcohol which gives it the frat party taste mentioned above.
If you would like, you can also use a reposado or anejo tequila which have been barrel aged to mellow out their flavor. These options will have a bit of caramel and vanilla notes to them that usually make the finished drink come off as a bit more sweet and mellow.
Espolon Blanco Flavor Profile & Tasting Notes: How Does It Taste
- Nose: Light and earthy, rich in agave, notes of black pepper, vanilla and a bit of ethanol.
- Palate: Fruity, with peppery notes and vanilla.
The nose is faint, offering an earthy aroma, with a dash of black pepper and some alcohol.
On the palate, Espolon Blanco is a bit warm at first, but as you let it develop it becomes somewhat sweet with some fruity notes and vanilla.
The finish has a medium-length, with citrus and a peppery and warming note.
In summary, Espolon Blanco offers a good taste, moderate sweetness, although a bit warm and peppery but nothing terrible or off-putting.
Also read: Espolon Blanco vs Teremana Blanco: Which Tequila is Better?
Don’t Miss: What Is The Best Whiskey
How Best To Drink Espoln
Here are some of the best ways to enjoy Espolòn tequila:
1) Espolòn Shots: As classic as it may sound, nothing brings out the real party mood without a round of Espolòn tequila. Choose your favorite shot glass and pour the tequila to the top. Then, on the count to three to one, gulp the amazing Mexican goodness and get your party moods on.
2) Espolòn Soda: Mix any of the Espolòn tequila of choice with your favorite soda. The soda makes your drink a bit boozy and frizzy at the same time, making it a perfect summer drink.
3) Espolòn Collins: Did you know gin and tequila gets along really well? Just mix an equal portion of both the alcohols in a glass filled with crushed ice. Then, enjoy the deliciousness of the amazing cocktail like a pro.
Quartering The Agave Hearts Adds Further Sweetness
Following careful quality inspection, and prior to cooking, Espolòn cuts the hearts of the agave plants into four pieces rather than two, the industry average. This increased surface area, along with longer cooking times 22 hours compared to the 18-hour standard helps create a sweeter end product.
Read Also: How Much Grey Goose Vodka
Can You Make A Margarita With Aejo Tequila
Can you? Sure. Will it be the same experience? No. The vanilla and spice flavors from the oak aging will take away from the freshness that you find in most margaritas. That said, there are some recipes online for añejo margaritas that play on that vanilla note by using pineapple juice and other tropical flavors.
Recommended Reading: Chattanooga Whiskey 111 Price
Danos Dangerous Tequila Aejo
ReserveBar
One of the most-awarded bottles on our list, Danos Añejo Tequila is aged 18 months in virgin French white oak barrels and produced using 100% agave at a family-owned distillery that dates back to 1840. A small sip reveals aromas of roasted agave with woody notes, before the tequila opens up with hints of caramel, coconut and oak.
Founded in Steamboat Springs, Colorado in 2018, Danos Tequila just won Best in Class Añejo at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Danos also won the Gold Medal in the 2019 Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Tasting Competition, and the Double Gold and Gold in the 2018 SIP Awards.
Think of this as the cognac of tequila best for sipping neat, or with an ice cube.
Also Check: Where Can I Find Empress Gin
Popular Tequila Brands Ranked Worst To Best
Tequila is the great equalizer of a night out, in that everyone’s going to equally regret those four rapid rounds of shots they decided to do after midnight. However, the classic late-night-at-club unwise decision of the salt-rimmed variety is far from the only face of this agave spirit. Delicious as they may be, margaritas, too, are only scratching the surface.
A quality tequila can be just as fine a sipping alcohol as any Scotch or bourbon out there. The trick is to find out precisely which tequilas are the good stuff, and which ones are best reserved for those barely-remembered early morning hours. What’s more, an aspiring tequila enthusiast needs to make sure that they have reliable access to some of the better brands. In order to determine what the true delicacies of the tequila world are, and to ensure maximum access to them, we’ve taken a look at some of the most popular tequila brands out there and ranked them from worst to best.
What Is The Color Of Espolon Reposado Coming From
It is characterized by an aging in lightly charred American oak barrels between 3 and 5 months. On the color this tequila is golden, the nose is richly spiced with caramel aromas, while in the mouth the palate is round and slightly full-bodied with hints of toasted agave and tropical fruit with a long spicy finish.
How long is Espolon aged? First aged in new American oak for 10 months, its then placed into deeply charred bourbon whiskey barrels and aged two months longer to create a tequila rich in character with a taste all its own. This one deserves to be sipped, alone or with an ice cube.
What is diffuser tequila?
The diffuser is a machine about the size of a basketball court that inverses the traditional tequila-making processes in the name of efficiency. Using a diffuser is the fastest and cheapest way to produce tequila.
Is Espolon tequila good for margaritas? Margaritas are usually made with silver tequila, which is younger and therefore more stringent. Ive had a lot of reposados, but Espolón is my favorite when it comes to making margaritas, probably because it has a slight sweetness that eliminates the need for simple syrup. To better cocktails!
Also Check: What Is Straight Bourbon Whiskey
History Of The Margarita
If you follow Ramshackle Pantry you know that we strive to make some great recipes, like we are going to do in our current . Another thing that we like to do is explore everything about a classic dish or cocktail, including history.
One thing about food and cocktail history is that it is often filled with myth and marketing, which can muddle the story of a dish. There is plenty of muddling that goes on with the history of the margarita and that is what we are going to try and wade through today. We are going to look at Margarita history and try to uncover some of the origin stories for the classic cocktail.
You May Like: Pinnacle Whipped Vodka Reviews
Best Bottle Of Blanco Tequila For The Room
So on Isla when I hit the store, any suggestions on well priced blanco tequila for the villa?
Personal likes are herradura silver and even hornitos on a budget .
I prefer the blancos as I like the bite or tang to the tequila.
Thanks!
Our favorite is also Herradura, but we like the mellowness of the Reposado. By the time it becomes Anejo, its so oaky you might as well chew on a board.
But in Mexico, the tequila were served most often is Don Julio. Id say when in Rome but then you might end up with Sambuca.
You May Like: Can You Mix Ginger Ale And Whiskey
Read Also: Is Belvedere Vodka Gluten Free
How To Drink Tequila Like A Non
Before we get into the details of how to drink tequila like a Mexican, lets take a good hard stare at how the rest of us tend to approach the subject of tequila drinkingor should I say tequila slamming.
More often that not, it goes a little something like this:
Some Popular Cocktails Containing Espolon
- Smoke Gets in Your Agav-eyes Tequila, Mezcal, Falernum, Orange bitters, Herbal liqueur, Lime juice, Agave syrup, Orange peel
- Hel Fresco Blanco tequila, Campari, Ancho Reyes chile liqueur, Lime juice, Ginger beer
- Vaya Con Dios Blanco tequila, Bianco Vermouth, Herbal liqueur, Falernum, Allspice Dram, Lime juice, Lemon, Mint
- Oliver South Blanco tequila, Amaro Lucano, Cardamaro, Orange peel
- Rio Grande Reposado Tequila, Old Tom Gin, Sweet vermouth, Chocolate bitters, Orange peel
- Johnny Utah Blanco tequila, Campari, Club soda, Lime juice, Grenadine, Cinnamon syrup
- Paloma Sour Blanco tequila, Grapefruit bitters, Grapefruit soda, Agave syrup, Lime juice, Egg white, Lime, Salt
- Mission Trip Blanco tequila, Elderflower liqueur, Aperol, Lime juice, Cherry preserves
- High Risk Society Blanco tequila, Cherry Liqueur, Orange bitters, Lemon juice, Simple syrup
- Gilda Blanco tequila, Pineapple juice, Lime juice, Cinnamon syrup, Lime
Don’t Miss: Mixed Drinks Made With Cognac
El Bandido Yankee Tequila
El Bandido Yankee
A new entry into the tequila market, El Bandido Yankee launched in 2021 by former NFL player Jim Bob Morris and restaurateur and NHL Hall of Fame Hockey Player Chris Chelios. The idea: to create an ultra premium, ultra-smooth tequila at an accessible price point. This is an all-around crowd-pleasing tequila, too, with a wonderfully distinct flavor profile thats at once rich and complex. Notes of pepper and vanilla balance the buttery profile along with hints of citrus. The Reposado expression is also aged in stripped and recharred American Oak bourbon barrels, which gives it a deliciously herbaceous toasted flavor.
Though we prefer El Bandido Yankee as a sipping tequila , the flavor has enough bite to make for some beautiful cocktails, too. Everything is made in with 100% blue weber agave and is confirmed all-natural and additive-free for a tequila that goes down smooth and silky. We like what the brand is doing with the no-for-profit S.A.C.R.E.D too, which re-invests 100% of proceeds from merchandise and a portion of tequila sales back into the local Mexican communities where agave spirits are made to identify and support vital needs.
Is Espolon A Good Tequila
tequilaEspolontequilatequila
. Correspondingly, is Espolon a tequila?
Espolon. Tequila El Espolón is a brand of tequila from Campari America. Made entirely from blue agave, El Espolón was created by Cirilo Oropeza, and was first produced in 1998.
Beside above, which is best tequila? The 13 Best Tequila Brands for Every Occasion
- Roca Patrón Reposado.
Also question is, what is the smoothest tequila?
Here are five of the best sipping tequilas on the market:
- Casa Dragones.
How many calories are in a shot of Espolon tequila?
It only has 69 calories per ounce and no carbohydrates thanks to the distillation process.
Read Also: What Drinks Can You Make With Dark Rum
A Tequila For Everyone
We dont simply produce tequila. We create it. Espolon Tequila is the life-long aspiration of Maestro Tequilero, Cirilo Oropeza. Combining a background in chemical engineering and over 50 years of distilling experience, Cirilo blends the science of distilling with the art of tequila making.
With a revolutionary spirit, strict attention to detail and his renowned unconventional methods, Cirilo had one simple goal: to create a tequila so good he was proud to share it with the world. Espolon is that tequila.
Named for the spur of the iconic rooster in Mexico, a national symbol of pride, and packaged in a spirited salute to the art of legendary Jose Guadalupe Posada, the tequilas of Espolon are a powerful tribute to the true storied culture of Mexico itself.
Like any good Maestro, Cirilo has his secrets. But hes proud to share the keys to making his beloved Espolon: an exceptional premium tequila accessible to everyone.
Best In A Bramble: Don Julio Reposado Tequila
Courtesy of Drizly.com
Great for any type of cocktail, this classic reposado is aged eight months in American white oak and is produced by Don Julio, which has been making tequila since 1942. This one goes down nice and easy, according to Easterbrook. Its super smooth, but it stands up to mixers and sweeteners. One of his favorite ways to use a reposado like this is in cocktails with muddled fresh berries and herbs: cilantro and blackberries, mint and strawberries, or any other combination. Its an amazing, delicious marriage, he says.
Read Also: Is Gin Good For Gout
Also Check: How Much Is Bushmills Whiskey
Easy: Reposado Perfect Manhattan
Tequila can have a bit of spice to itso were playing that up with just a bit of 100-proof rye, along with both sweet and dry vermouth for an elegant Manhattan version that has a real bite. Delicious and sophisticated.
Instructions: In a mixing glass with ice, combine 1 1/2 ounces of reposado tequila, 1/2 ounce 100-proof rye , 1/2 an ounce of sweet vermouth and 1/2 an ounce of dry vermouth. Add 1 dash of Angostura bitters. Stir until well-chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a big twist of lime peel and a thin peel of lemon.
You May Like: Tequila Gold Mixers
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.
Read Also: What Mixes With Grapefruit Vodka
Is Espolon Blanco Good For Shots
Yes, Espolon is a great tequila shooter for two main reasons: affordable and made entirely from agave.
Only drink tequila labeled as 100% agave and avoid those with misleading labels such as made from agave as they are made using a blend of agave and sugar cane.
Those drams are legally allowed to be labeled as tequila but they are hideous, fattening and will make you sick.
Agave has a unique sugar composition that is proven to prevent headaches the following morning. No other spirit has this important feature but there is a caveat:
Do not use sodas, or drink along other spirits or beer because once you mix sugar sources the magic fades and you will be left with a hideous hangover.
So do not drink tequila with Coke or any other sugar source. Drinking tequila in ranch water is OK but soft drinks are a killer.
Also read: Discover the Best Espolon Tequila!
Best Under $: Don Sergio Aejo Tequila
Courtesy of Tequila Match Maker
-
Impressive value for the price
-
Great for cocktails
-
Not as smooth as others
Its not easy to find an añejo tequila under $30. You might think, then, that if you could find anything at that price point, that it would be of poor quality. In the case of Don Sergio, you would be wrong. Its made with 100 percent blue agave and is a delight to drink. In fact, this budget-friendly bottle won a Silver Medal at the San Francisco Spirits Competition in 2013.
With aromas of vanilla, baking spices, and white pepper, Don Sergio makes an excellent after-dinner drink and, at this price, can be mixed into your favorite whiskey cocktails without breaking the bank. Its finish isnt quite as smooth as the ultra-premium stuff, but it beats plenty of bottles at twice the price.
Aged: 2.5 years in American oak barrels | TastingNotes: Vanilla, baking spices, and white pepper
Dont Miss: Don Q Passion Fruit Rum
Read Also: Where Can I Buy Kirkland Vodka