Today is National Tequila Day, and there’s never been a better time to get into tequila. If you haven’t touched the stuff since your college days, you might be surprised by what modern craft tequilas have evolved into. While you’ll still find your dubious mixtos on supermarket shelves, there are also a huge range of high quality, sustainably produced tequilas which use traditional methods and ingredients.
There’s also plenty of ways to drink tequila other than the obligatory slammers. Fine tequilas can be sipped neat, and it can be used in many cocktails. There are the classics that you’ll find in many bars — margaritas, palomas, and mexican mules are perrenial favorites — but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of what you can do with tequila.
The rich agave flavors are an easy match with fruit juice, smoky notes, and honey, so if you’re feeling adventurous then you can branch out into some lesser known tequila cocktails as well, like the three recipes below.
Agave Suave
Courtesy of Tequila Cayéya and Freehold Brooklyn
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Cayéya tequila
- 5 oz lime juice
- 1 oz passionfruit mix (equal parts passionfruit puree & Passoa passionfruit liqueur)
- 2 ginger coins
- Ginger beer
Method:
Add ginger coins to shaker and muddle to express ginger.
Add lime juice, passionfruit mix, and Cayéya to tin.
Shake with ice and strain into Tajin rimmed glass over fresh ice.
Top with ginger beer and garnish with cucumber surfboard.
Elevated Paloma
Courtesy of Mayenda Tequila
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Mayenda Reposado
- 1 oz grapefruit juice
- .50 oz lime juice
- .50 oz honey syrup
- A pinch of smoked salt
- Top with club soda
- Grapefruit wedge garnish
Method:
Build all ingredients except club soda into shaker tin with ice and shake until chilled.
Strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice and top with club soda.
Garnish with brulee’d grapefruit wedge
Matsuwa
Courtesy of Don Fulano
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Don Fulano Reposado
- 1 oz ginger honey syrup
- 0.5 oz Islay single malt
- 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
- Garnish with pickled ginger
Method:
Add ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously to combine/chill. Strain into a double old fashioned glass filled with fresh ice and garnish.
