Most people don’t need an excuse to order a Margarita—it’s been the most-popular cocktail for years. But Margarita Day—Feb 22—is as good a reason as any for guests to boost sales of the agave-spirit-based sip. Here are some ideas for specialty ’Ritas for the occasion.
Truly Italian Margarita
1 oz. Casamigos Blanco tequila
½ oz. Campari
½ oz. Grand Marnier
½ oz. Fresh lime juice
½ oz. Simple syrup
4 oz. Truly Spiked & Sparkling Colima Lime hard seltzer
Combine all ingredients, except for seltzer, in a shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a 14-oz. double rocks glass and top with seltzer.
Natasha David of Nitecap in New York created this recipe.
Habanero Hell Fire
(Shown atop)
2 parts Tres Agaves Reposado tequila
2 parts Pear puree
2 dashes Habanero bitters
1 part Tres Agaves agave nectar
Seeds of 1 jalapeno pepper, muddled
Rim glass with black pepper and salt. Then muddle seeds of jalapeno pepper in pre-rimmed Margarita glass. Pour remaining ingredients in glass, top off with ice and stir.
Jakob Hostetter, beverage director of Cantina 1838 in New York, created this recipe.
Hibiscus Dragon Fruit Margarita
2 oz. Patrón Reposado tequila
2 oz. Fresh pineapple juice
¾ oz. Cinnamon-hibiscus syrup
½ oz. Fresh lemon juice
¼ oz. Triple sec
Pinch sea salt
2 dashes Hellfire bitters
Add all ingredients into a shaking tin and fill half way with ice. Shake for five seconds and strain into a hollowed out dragon fruit with ice. Garnish with pineapple spikes, mint and flaming lemon half.
The mixologists at Patrón created this recipe.
Prime Margarita
1 ½ oz. Don Julio Blanco tequila
½ oz. St. Germain elderflower liqueur
1 ½ oz. Fresh-squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice
¾ oz. Fresh-squeezed lime juice
½ oz. Agave nectar
¼ oz. Monin Ruby Red Grapefruit syrup
Fill mixing tin with ice and add all ingredients. Shake well and strain into highball glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with lime slices; can also do ½ salted rim.
The mixologists at Ocean Prime created this recipe.
Ilegal Social Club
2 oz. Ilegal mezcal
¾ oz. Fresh lemon juice
1 oz. Fresno-chili-infused maple syrup (Muddle 1 oz. maple syrup with a slice of chile)
Combine all ingredients into shaker with cold draft ice and double strain into a frozen glass halfway rimmed with tortilla salt.
The mixologists at Salazar in Los Angeles created this recipe.
Del Campo
1 ½ oz. parts Bacon-fat-washed Milagro Silver tequila
½ part Lime juice
¾ part Celery juice
½ part Nopal (prickly pear catus juice—optional)
1 part Pineapple juice
½ part Cilantro or parsley
With a half lime, rinse around the rim of a rocks glass and salt with Chicharron salt. Separately, combine all ingredients and shake well. Strain mix over fresh ice into the Chicharron-salted rocks glass.
Jaime Salas, National Milagro Ambassador, created this recipe.
The Scarlett Sinner
2 oz. 1800 Reposado tequila
¾ oz. Lime juice
½ oz. Agave syrup
Pinch cilantro
Pinot noir
Combine all ingredients in a shaker except pinot noir and add ice. Shake hard for 10 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass and gently top with pinot noir so it floats. Garnish with a lime peel.
1800 Tequila brand ambassador and bartender Derrick Turner created this recipe.
