7 classic tequila cocktail recipes that prove it’s more than just a party shot

To me, tequila always — first and foremost — calls to mind slammers. When I think about this spirit. I can almost taste the tequila, salt, lime, and regret. However, tequila needn’t be only a party shot. In fact, it’s a wonderful tool for any home bartender, as it can be mixed into a range of fruity, sour, or even savory drinks. My personal favorite is the Michelada, a savory tomato and beer-based cocktail that was a revelation the first time I tried it. It’s like a funky, sharp, spicy version of a Bloody Mary, and it’s an absolute pleasure to enjoy with tacos or other Mexican food.

But that’s just the tip of the tequila cocktail iceberg. There are tons of beloved tequila drinks, from a classic margarita to a refreshing Paloma. Tequila goes well with sharp citrus fruits like lemon and lime and can be lengthened with fruit juices or sodas to be more sippable and less heavily boozy than in its shot form. It can also go well with more bitter flavors, if you’re looking for something darker and moodier, such as a Negroni variation.

In every case, though, you’re going to want to use high-quality tequila. Much of tequila’s bad reputation comes from the low-quality mixes that used to be everywhere in the early 2000s, made of dubious mixes of ingredients and full of additives. Now, though, there’s been a real boom in high-quality sipping tequilas. Look for something that’s 100% Blue Weber agave for starters, and you can also find brands with a focus on traditional methods and sustainable production if that’s important to you.

And don’t forget about the quality of your other ingredients, too. Take the margarita, perhaps the most classic tequila drink. When it comes to this cocktail, it’s based on tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur. But the type of liqueur you use will make a difference to the final taste and quality of your drink, so take some time to consider your options. “A lot of people will do triple sec,” said Anders Erickson, cocktail expert. But he prefers to use curacao, “because it’s a little bit richer. I like it against the tart lime, now the tequila.” He also advises using reposado tequila for a rich flavor, but you can use whatever your preferred brand and style of tequila is.

With tips for the margarita and six other classic tequila cocktail recipes for you to explore, you’ll have no end of options for enjoying your best tequilas in mixed drinks.

Margarita

Throughout the dozens upon dozens of iterations we’ve tried, we scooped up this classic recipe from the former Tahona Tequila Bistro in Boulder, Colorado, which continues to top lists of best-ever margaritas. Balanced just right with the citrusy mix of lime, lemon, and a little orange, the blend of tart and sweet (plus 100% blue agave tequila) can seduce anyone who claims to dislike tequila.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces Casa Noble Tequila Reposado (Tahona aged Casa Noble Tequila Blanco in a custom, American oak barrel that sits behind the bar, but the Reposado is a good substitute.)
• 2 ounces fresh lime juice
• 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce fresh orange juice
• 1/2 ounce organic agave nectar
• Salt for rim

Method

1. Combine juices.
2. Mix tequila and agave nectar.
3. Shake, salt rim, and pour into glass. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.

Paloma

A Paloma is a lighter tequila cocktail that traditionally combines the agave liquor with grapefruit flavors — one of the easiest yet most refreshing cocktails you can make in about two minutes flat. We looked to the taco king of Denver, Colorado — Taco Tequila Whiskey — for this sparkling recipe. Ready, go!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces Exotico Tequila Blanco
• 1 1/2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1/4 ounce agave nectar

Method

1. Mix tequila with grapefruit juice, lime juice, and agave.
2. Shake and pour into a salted (half-moon style) Collins glass.

Bloody Maria

Swap vodka for tequila in this adaptation of the Bloody Mary. Tequila has the power to ease digestion, which may be just what you need the next morning after an adventurous night out.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Casa Noble Crystal Tequila
• 4 ounces tomato juice
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon prepared horseradish, to taste
• 1 pinch celery salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• Garnishes: Lime wedge, lemon wedge, cucumber spear, sweet pepper slices, jalapeño slices, and queso fresco

Method

1. Add all ingredients to shaker and fill with ice.
2. Shake briefly and strain into a pint glass filled with fresh ice.
3. Garnish.

Tequila Sunrise

We’d wager it’s been a hot second since you’ve ordered a Tequila Sunrise. That is if you’ve ever ordered one. Instead of slinging the old OJ/grenadine recipe that some find too sweet, we turned to this updated twist on the sunset from Tequila Avión, which offers greater depth for a refined pallet.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Tequila Avión Silver or Reposado
• 1 ounce Lillet Rouge
• 2 ounces grapefruit juice
• 1/2 ounce lime juice
• 1/4 ounce agave nectar
• Lime wedge to garnish

Method

1. Add ice and Lillet Rouge in a highball glass.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and ice to a cocktail shaker.
3. Shake and strain into highball slowly so as not to incorporate Lillet (keep it layered).
4. Garnish with lime.

Negroni

Negronis are typically made with gin, but don’t miss out on this classic cocktail if your preferences lean away from the juniper-flavored spirit. Use tequila! Brendan Weir of Denver’s Que Bueno Suerte — an upscale eatery with brilliant ancient-Mayan-meets-modern-Mexico design — stirs this Latin-inspired cocktail year-round. Using equal parts, making this drink at home is easy-peasy, lime squeezy.

Ingredients

• 3/4 ounce Suerte Tequila Reposado
• 3/4 ounce Contratto Apertif
• 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
• 3/4 ounce Carpano Antica
• Grapefruit peel to garnish

Method

1. Shake all ingredients together in equal parts.
2. Serve over ice and garnish with a grapefruit twist.

Michelada

Although traditional Micheladas are made with cerveza, assorted spices, peppers, and lime juice, the Mexico-based super-jefe Modelo mixes it with a shot of Casa Noble tequila, making for a truly delicious Michelada to replace your old recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 shot of Casa Noble Tequila (your choice of expression)
• 4 ounces Modelo Especial
• 4 ounces Negra Modelo
• 3 ounces chilled tomato juice
• 1 ounce chilled clam juice
• 5 dashes soy sauce
• 4 dashes hot sauce
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 3 thin mango slices
• 2 cucumber slices
• 2 seasoned shrimp with tails
• 1 tamarind straw
• 1 lime wedge
• Chili powder and coarse salt for garnish

Method

1. Mix chili powder and salt on a small plate.
2. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and press into the spice mix.
3. Fill the glass with ice and pour in Modelo Especial and Negra Modelo.
4. Add chilled clam juice, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and soy sauce.
5. Stir with tamarind straw and garnish with shrimp, mango, and cucumber slices rolled in chili powder and salt mixture.
6. Add a shot of tequila. Stir, serve, and enjoy.

Mexican mule

The Mexican mule, also known as a tequila Mule, is a classic cocktail that, instead of vodka, like making a Moscow mule, you of course, use tequila.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces tequila (blanco is preferred)
• 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice (freshly squeezed for the freshest flavor)
• 4-6 ounces ginger beer
• Lime wedge (for garnish)

Method

1. Fill a copper mug or highball glass with ice.
2. Add the tequila and lime juice to the glass.
3. Slowly pour in the ginger beer, leaving some room at the top.
4. Add a lime wedge for a finishing touch.