In the last few years, multiple celebrities launched their own tequila brands. Dwayne Johnson's Teremana Tequila is probably the most famous one of them. Johnson worked with celebrity spirits whisperer Ken Austin and released the agave liquor in March 2020. The brand sold 300,000 cases by the end of that same year; A respectable number for a newcomer.

To put things a little into perspective, 2020 was a record-breaking year. The US imported 254 million liters of tequila, more than ever before. And Teremana accounted for a whopping 1 percent of that. -As a new brand in only nine months.

The brand started with only two expressions: A classic unaged Blanco Tequila that's great for Margaritas and a Reposado aged in American Whiskey barrels. Lately, Teremana also released a premium Añejo Tequila that's aged for up to two years. 

Read our expert review on each of the three tequila expressions.

Teremana Tequila Review Summary

Read the full review of Teremana Blanco

Teremana Tequila Reposado Review Summary

Read the full review of Teremana Reposado

Teremana Tequila Añejo Review Summary

Read the full review of Teremana Anejo

Review of Teremana Tequila Blanco

Teremana Blanco Tequila

Appearance

The spirit is crystal clear and transparent. Teremana Blanco rests in stainless steel tanks so there's absolutely no color derived from wooden barrels.

Aroma (Nose)

The aroma of Teremana's Blanco Tequila has some intense and dominant notes of raw agave and distinct, sharp alcohol notes. It's a bright and crisp spirit that offers an old-school flavor profile. 

In the background, you can smell subtly earthy, vegetal aromas with hints of black pepper and cinnamon. 

Palate (Taste)

The taste is a bold combination of cooked agave and ethanol flavors. The tequila is slightly on the bitter side with some distinct vegetal flavors. Hints of citrus and black pepper aim to balance the agave and alcohol notes but are hardly detectable.

Finish

After a bold taste of agave and ethanol, Teremana Blanco ends with a warm and spicy finish, including distinct bitter flavors. There's also a not-so-prominent medicinal note in the background that I don't really like.

Overall

2.5 out of 5 stars.

I would recommend skipping this. It's not an ideal sipping tequila and only a decent choice for making Margaritas or other cocktails. It's certainly worth a try if you can test it for free, but at this price point, I highly recommend using another spirit for your tequila cocktails. 

Review of Teremana Tequila Reposado

Teremana Reposado Tequila

Appearance

A faint, light golden color when poured into the glass with medium viscosity. The spirit ages in former bourbon barrels to develop flavors and obtain this elegant golden tint.

Aroma (Nose)

The scent of the reposado tequila contains strong notes of roasted agave paired with spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. In the background, there's a subtle note of butter and hints of oak.

Palate (Taste)

On the palate, sweet almond and vanilla flavors dominate the agave notes. It's much sweeter than the Blanco expression with only subtle oaky flavors.

Teremana Reposado Tequila has a smooth and balanced flavor, with notes of oak, vanilla, and citrus. The tequila has a beautiful golden color, making it a visually stunning addition to any cocktail.

Finish

The finish is full-on vanilla flavor with a warm, velvety texture that coats the palate and a long, sweet finish. I slightly prefer the finish over the one of the blanco tequila, but it's still far from great.

Overall

2 out of 5 stars.

Just like the Blanco version, I wouldn't recommend the Reposado. Added sweeteners and vanilla cover up the sharp bite from alcohol. But unfortunately, these aromas come across as artificial. And yet, the final result is too heavy on the alcohol notes.

Review of Teremana Tequila Añejo

Teremana Añejo Tequila

Appearance

In the glass, the Añejo has a beautiful dark golden to amber color. The spirit aged for at least one year and up to two years in whiskey barrels to develop a richer flavor profile and darker color.

Aroma (Nose)

It has a rich and warm aroma with oak, vanilla, and caramel. In the background, faint black pepper notes pair with spicy cinnamon. 

Palate (Taste)

The taste of this Añejo Tequila is beautifully warm and sweet, with plenty of oak and vanilla flavors. Supporting flavors are sweet, roasted agave, and hints of black pepper, olives, and butter.

Finish

A light, warm, and sweet finish rounds off this smooth tequila. The spirit ends with a smooth, rich finish that's much better than the other two bottles.

Overall

3 out of 5 stars.

Their Añejo expression is a much cleaner, smoother tequila compared to their Blanco and Reposado. It's still not perfect, but they're certainly on the right way to improve the quality of the tequila. 

About Teremana Tequila

The brand name Teremana stands for Spirit of the Earth. It's derived from the Latin word terra, meaning earth, and the Polynesian word Mana, which stands for spirit. The second part of the name hints at Johnson's Polynesian heritage.

Sustainability is a big topic in the modern world. And Teremana, too, takes sustainability seriously and turns all leftover agave fibers into natural fertilizer. Water filtration systems make sure to reuse wastewater from the production process. Combined with the traditional production processes, Teremana wants to act as a role model in the tequila industry.

How Teremana Tequila is produced

Teremana Tequila, like all other types of tequila, is made of Blue Weber Agave - also called agave tequilana. The agave they use to distill their tequila is grown in the Jalisco highland.

The tequila brand uses traditional tequila-making processes where the agave hearts are cooked and roasted in small traditional brick ovens before the distillation. 

All tequilas by Teremana are distilled in handmade copper pot stills designed and produced by local artisans. The aged expressions age in wooden barrels, ex-bourbon barrels are used for the Reposado expression, and the Añejo ages in an American whiskey barrel.

Tequila made by Teremana contains 40% ABV (80 proof) and 0g of sugar and carbs. They're all also certified as gluten-free.

FAQ about Teremana

Is Teremana tequila high quality?

Teremana Tequila is a genuine small-batch tequila sold at a below-average price point. The Blanco Tequila is of decent quality. However, in my opinion, Reposado falls short.

How expensive is Teremana Tequila?

The suggested retail price for the Teremana Blanco is $29.99. The Reposado sells at $32.99. Both prices are more than fair and are below the average market prices.

Is Teremana real tequila?

Teremana sells traditionally made tequila from Agave Tequilana in Jalisco, Mexico. It's made with traditional methods and distilled in an artisanal copper pot still.

Is Teremana sipping tequila?

Teremana's Tequilas are not ideal for sipping. But you can serve it as a shot or use it in traditional cocktails like the Margarita or Paloma.

Who owns Teremana Tequila?

Teremana Tequila is made by Siete Bucks Spirits managed and founded by Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia. Other business partners involved are Ken Austin and Jenna Fagnan.

When did Teremana Tequila come out?

Launched in March 2020, Teremana first released two expressions: Blanco and Reposado. In 2021, the Añejo Tequila was released as the third product of Teremana.

What proof is Teremana Tequila?

All Teremana Tequila is 80 proof (40% ABV).

What's better, Teremana Blanco or Reposado?

Teremana Añejo is of higher quality compared to Teremana Reposado and Blanco. Artificially sweet vanilla notes in the Reposado expression make it less enjoyable, neat, and as a mixer.


If you're into spirits from Mexico, you will know both, Tequila and Mezcal. The two spirits are closely connected but have distinct features that make each unique. All things considered, Tequila is a type of Mezcal, like Bourbon or Scotch are a type of Whiskey. Meaning that Tequila is always a Mezcal, yet Mezcal is not always Tequila.

Read our guide to learn everything about the two liquors and what the difference is between Mezcal and Tequila.

What is Mezcal and What is Tequila?

Mezcal vs. Tequila - The key differences

In short, Mezcal is an umbrella term for various agave spirits made from the hearts (piñas) of different species of agave. Tequila is a distinct kind of Mezcal produced in specific regions of Mexico, mainly in Jalisco. To make Tequila, you can only use one species of agave - the blue Weber agave.

But Mezcal is not just an umbrella term. It also represents a specific type of agave alcohol. This type is smokier than Tequila because the Mezcalero roasts agave piñas in fire pits before fermentation. That is not the case with Tequila, where you cook agave in ovens. But more things make Tequila different from Mezcal.

The agave plants in Mezcal and Tequila

Tequila is exclusively made from the blue agave plant, also called agave tequilana. Mezcal, on the other hand, can be made from more than 30 different types of agave plants like Espadín, Tobalá, and Tepeztate. 

It takes years for agave plants to fully mature. Some species require 6-10 years, other varieties take up to 20 years.

Mezcal and Tequila are made in different regions

Mezcal and Tequila are made in different regions

Tequilas must be distilled in the states of Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, or Tamaulipas. That is defined in the so-called Denomination of Origin (DO), which indicates possible production areas. Only spirits that comply with these regulations can legally be called, and labeled, a Tequila. Jalisco, where the town of Tequila is located, produces by far the majority of Tequila.

In comparison, Mezcal can be produced in nine major regions such as Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Michoacán, Puebla, and Oaxaca. 

How are Mezcal and Tequila made?

How are Mezcal and Tequila made

Both spirits use the heart of agave plants, the piñas, to get that distinct agave flavor into the spirit. From there, the process of making Mezcal and Tequila is very different.

Tequila is made from the blue Weber agave plant. In the first step, the "Jimador" (the harvester of agave plants) uses a sharp tool called coa to harvest the core and remove the leaves around the agave core, the so-called piña.

In the next step, the distillers steam piñas in large above-ground ovens to cook the aged cores. The cooking initiates a chemical process in the piñas that breaks down complex carbohydrates and turns them into fermentable sugars. 

The cooked agave is crushed and milled to release a sweet liquid that is then distilled in copper pots -usually two or three times. 

For making Mezcal, the harvesting process is quite similar to making Tequila, with the difference that the Jimador can harvest other agave plants than the agave tequilana. However, in the next step, the Mezcalero roasts the agave piña in underground fire pits lined with hot rocks for several days.

This charring accounts for the smoky flavor Mezcal is famous for. After roasting, the piñas are milled using a tahona (large stone wheel), traditionally pulled by mules. 

After distillation, the product rests in wooden barrels or clay pots for fermentation. The resulting agave mash is distilled twice in copper stills. 

The difference in aging between Mezcal and Tequila

The difference in aging between Mezcal and Tequila

When the distillation process is completed, Mezcal and Tequila may age in wooden barrels to develop more mature flavors. The aging categories are similar but not exactly the same. Here's how both spirits compare regarding aging:

Mezcal aging

For a more detailed explanation, read this article about the different types of Mezcal.

Tequila aging

For a more detailed explanation, read this article about the different types of Tequila.

The taste difference between Mezcal and Tequila

Taste is one of the key differences between Mezcal and Tequila, as Mezcal often has a prominent edgy, smoky flavor and subtle sweet and earthy notes. But that's just a tiny part of the differences in the flavor profile.

The taste of Tequila depends on the exact growing region of the blue agave plant and the aging time. Blanco Tequila has a sweet and crisp taste with flavors like spice, pepper, citrus, and a distinct cooked agave note. Reposado Tequila tastes sweeter, more mellow, and has a better balance of flavors. Añejo and Extra Añejo Tequila have a dark color and a distinct balance of oak and agave flavors. They're often sweeter than young Tequila and contain sweet flavors like vanilla and caramel along with wooden oaky notes.

Mezcal, on the other hand, is made from a variety of agave plants. That makes the flavor profile very diverse. Mezcals can have a wide array of flavors ranging from floral, herbal, and citrusy to earthy, mineral, and spicy. You can also find Mezcal bottles with unique flavors like chocolate, chipotle, lychee, and meat. That makes it one of the most diverse of all Mexican spirits.

How to drink Mezcal and Tequila?

Common ways to drink Tequila is in the form of a shot served with salt and lime. Depending on the specific bottle, you can enjoy it neat or on the rocks. However, Tequila pairs so well with lime juice that the best way to drink it is in classic Tequila cocktails like a Margarita, Paloma, or a Tequila Sunrise.

The best way to drink Mezcal is neat at room temperature. In Mexico, a side of worm salt, orange slices, and fried grasshoppers is commonly served along with a glass of Mezcal.

Mezcal vs. Tequila: Summary of The Differences

When people talk about Mezcal, they usually mean a liquor category of its own, not the umbrella term for agave spirits. And in that context, there are many differences between Tequila and Mezcal. Yes, both are agave spirits, but that is where the similarities stop. They use different agave, come from different regions, are distilled differently, and have other aging categories. 

Here's an overview of all the differences between Mezcal and Tequila:

Frequently Asked Questions 

Is the worm in Tequila or Mezcal?

Although the insect is sometimes called a Tequila worm, the worm in the bottle is only found in Mezcal bottles. Also, technically, the worm is not a worm but a moth larvae. These larvae are commonly known as maguey worm, as it lives on agave plants.

The legend says that in the 50s, a Mezcalero found a maguey worm in a batch of Mezcal. Thinking the presence of the larva had improved the taste, he placed a maguey worm in each bottle. That was such a huge success that other manufacturers followed soon, and it became a popular marketing strategy.

The right way to drink Mezcal is with a side of Sal de Gusano (worm salt) sprinkled on a slice of orange. Whereas Silver Tequila usually comes with a side of salt and lemon.

Is Mezcal a Tequila?

No, it is the other way round. Every Tequila is a Mezcal, but not every Tequila is a Mezcal. A Tequila is a specific type of Mezcal, like a London Dry Gin is a type of Gin. Tequila can be produced only in restricted regions in Mexico. And also, Tequila can be made only from the Blue Weber Agave (Agave tequilana).

Can you substitute Tequila for Mezcal?

Yes, you can, yet there's a but. The distinct smoky note in Mezcal often shines through in cocktails. When using Tequila instead of Mezcal, you will still get agave flavors, but not the distinct smoky taste of Mezcal. If you keep this in mind, you can certainly use both interchangeably.

A well-made Paloma is a delicious and refreshing drink. Yet, sometimes you might want a bit more complexity in your cocktail. The Monte Paloma delivers on that by adding Amaro to the mix.

Amaro Montenegro and grapefruit juice is a surprisingly good combination. Mixed with tequila, agave syrup, and a splash of fresh lime juice, you get an exciting sip.

Quick Facts Monte Paloma

Monte Paloma cocktail - Amaro Montenegro and grapefruit juice

Monte Paloma Recipe

A riff on the classic Paloma with additional herbal flavors.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: agave, amaro, grapefruit, lime, Tequila
Servings: 1
Calories: 230kcal
Cost: $3.80

Equipment

  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Cocktail Shaker
  • 1 Hawthorne Strainer

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz Tequila
  • 1 oz Amaro Montenegro
  • 1 oz Pink grapefruit juice
  • 0.5 oz Lime juice
  • 0.25 oz Agave syrup
  • 0.5 oz Soda water

Instructions

  • Add Tequila, Amaro Montenegro, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and agave syrup into a cocktail shaker with ice.
    1.5 oz Tequila, 1 oz Amaro Montenegro, 1 oz Pink grapefruit juice, 0.5 oz Lime juice, 0.25 oz Agave syrup
  • Shake until the drink is well-chilled.
  • Strain into a Highball glass filled with ice.
  • Top with soda water.
    0.5 oz Soda water
  • Optionally garnish with grapefruit wheel or wedge.

Nutrition

Serving: 5ozCalories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 5.52gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.03gSodium: 4.33mgPotassium: 64.48mgSugar: 4.84gVitamin C: 16.94mgCalcium: 8.24mgIron: 0.06mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Ingredients & Recommendations

Amaro and tequila don't sound like your typical cocktail base. It's certainly not something you're used to seeing on cocktail menus. However, the combination works a treat.

To bring it all together, you need something more than tequila and herbal liqueur. So, here's the shopping list for this tasty Paloma riff:

Best Practices for the Monte Paloma

Apart from using quality ingredients, including fresh juices and fizzy soda, as mentioned above, there are a couple of things to keep in mind when mixing.

First, this cocktail is shaken and served over ice. To make sure you don't water it down too much, use large cubes for mixing and shake for no more than 10 seconds. Also, serve your drink over large, clear ice cubes since those will melt slower.

Second, don't add the soda to your cocktail shaker because if you do, it will lose most of its fizz.

Variations on the Montenegro Paloma 

There are many ways to make this bittersweet twist on the Paloma cocktail. The recipe above is our favorite because it balances the flavors of the different ingredients so beautifully.

However, you can also make a simpler version of the Monte Paloma without agave syrup or lime juice. 

Another possible twist on the recipe is to skip the soda water. It takes away a bit of the freshness but pronounces the other flavors more instead.

More About Amari

Amari are herbal liqueurs from Italy known for their bittersweet, herbal flavors. Amaro Montenegro is a well-liked, relatively little bitter member of this family with notes of orange zest, vanilla, coriander, and cloves.

Generally, these herbal liqueurs are made by infusing a base spirit with various herbs, roots, flowers, bark, and other ingredients. Lower ABV products like Aperol contain only 11% alcohol, Amaro Montenegro clocks in at 23% vol, and others have up to 40%.

Related Recipes

Another superb example of pairing an agave spirit and an Amaro is the Mezcal Sour cocktail. This drink also benefits from the herbal complexity added by an Amaro. If you look for more drinks with grapefruit, try these:

Monte Paloma FAQs

I believe we can all agree that the Adios Motherfucker Cocktail has a bit of a vulgar name. That is also why it often is toned down to AMF or Adios, Mother F’er, and the list goes on. -There are plenty more alternative names for the drink.

Quick Facts Adios Motherf*cker Cocktail

The recipe is quite similar to the one for Long Island Ice Tea. It includes five different types of spirits, lemon juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and just a splash of lemon-lime soda.

Adios Motherfucker cocktail - AMF

Recipe Adios Motherfucker

A variation of a Long Island Ice Tea but bright blue and topped with lemon-lime soda.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: blue curaçao, Gin, lemon juice, lime juice, rum, simple syrup, Tequila, vodka
Servings: 1
Calories: 232kcal
Cost: $2.70

Equipment

  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Hawthorne Strainer
  • 1 Cocktail Shaker

Ingredients

  • 0.5 oz Vodka - (potato-based preferred)
  • 0.5 oz White Rum
  • 0.5 oz Dry Gin
  • 0.5 oz Silver Tequila
  • 0.5 oz Blue Curaçao
  • 0.5 oz Lime juice
  • 0.5 oz Lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz Simple syrup
  • 1.5 oz Lemon-lime soda

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients except the lemon-lime soda into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
    0.5 oz Vodka, 0.5 oz White Rum, 0.5 oz Dry Gin, 0.5 oz Silver Tequila, 0.5 oz Blue Curaçao, 0.5 oz Lime juice, 0.5 oz Lemon juice, 0.5 oz Simple syrup
  • Shake until the drink is well-chilled, then strain into an ice-filled Collins or Hurricane glass.
  • Top with lemon-lime soda and garnish with a slice of lemon and a Maraschino cherry.
    1.5 oz Lemon-lime soda

Nutrition

Serving: 6.6ozCalories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 6gSodium: 7.36mgPotassium: 23.08mgSugar: 6gVitamin C: 11.04mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.03mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

AMF - Ingredients & Recommendations

With five alcoholic components, the Adios Motherfucker is a boozy brew. In some recipes, you can find sweet and sour mix to reduce the number of ingredients required. However, we prefer a freshly made combination of lemon, lime juice, and syrup.

The most important thing to get the color right: Use only clear spirits. Aged ones will spoil the bright blue look of the AMF.

So, here is what you need to make the drink:

Alcoholic Components:

Non-Alcoholic Components:

Tips & Tricks for Mixing

With this many elements, it is tempting to just throw them all together and maybe stir a little, and that's it. - After all, measuring all these components is already a piece of work, right? Well, don't do that because it will be a waste of all the measuring.

Instead, shake all (except for the soda) well with plenty of ice to get the blue color right. Then pour your drink into a glass. Only then top it up with fizzy lemon and lime soda.

LIIT vs. AMF

In fact, the difference to a LIIT is marginal, as the AMF uses Blue Curaçao instead of Triple Sec (both are orange liqueurs and pretty similar except for the color) and lemon-lime soda instead of Coke.

The result is a slightly more sour cocktail compared to the Long Island Iced Tea. The main distinction is, as mentioned, the bright blue color and, of course, the name.

Other Names of the Adios Motherfucker Cocktail

The Adios Motherfucker goes by many names and spelling variations, like Adios Mother FuckerAMFBlue MotorcycleBlue Long Island Ice TeaBlue MotherfuckerWalk Me Down, and AMF drink or cocktail. 

But no matter what you call this cocktail, you will get a bold and potent drink with plenty of alcohol.

The AMF is a typical drink of the 1980s. -A time when cocktails often gained attention because of their vulgar or bizarre names. Cocktails like the Fuzzy Naval, Blowjob Shot, Slippery Nipple, Sex on the Beach Cocktail, and Sex In The Driveway are all creations from that era.

Related Recipes

If you want to mix some other cocktails with your open bottle of Blue Curaçao, here are some ideas:

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When you think of Tequila Cocktails, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the Margarita. -For some party animals of the 80s, Tequila Sunrise might beat the Margarita to it. However, the often overly sweet drink didn't make it on our list.

Yet, there are many more beautiful cocktails based on the earthy, smooth agave spirit than that. So, here are our favorite Tequila Cocktails, including riffs on classics and outstanding contemporary creations.

- Also, if you want to get an overview of all our recipes for cocktails made with Tequila, click here:

View all Tequila Cocktails on Cocktail Society

Classic Margarita and popular riffs

Here's the ultimate Tequila drink with the iconic salt rim and the tangy taste. Plus, some of the best riffs to try at home.

Classic Margarita cocktail

1. Classic Margarita

The classic Margarita - a member of the Daisy cocktail family, is made with Tequila Blanco, lime juice, Triple Sec, and an optional splash of agave nectar for better balance. 

Get Recipe

Margarita cocktail inspiration

Spicy Grapefruit Tequila Cocktail

2. Spicy Grapefruit Margarita

If you like spicy cocktails, this might be the drink for you. The recipe calls for jalapeño-infused Tequila, chili powder, and a few slices of hot jalapeños. The grapefruit juice brings in some bittersweet flavors, as well.

Get Recipe

Coconut Margarita

3. Coconut Margarita

From spicy and sour on to mild and sweet - the Coconut Margarita is the nemesis of the Spicy Grapefruit Margarita. This recipe adds rich and sweet cream of coconut to the classic recipe and creates a beautifully tropical twist.

Get Recipe

Tommys Margarita cocktail

4. Tommy's Margarita

Tommy's Margarita is a child of the 90s and a simplified version of the original. The recipe leaves off the Triple Sec and only asks for Reposado Tequila, freshly squeezed lime juice, and agave nectar.

Get Recipe

Chistmas Tequila Cocktail

5. White Christmas Margarita Punch

For this festive twist on the classic Tequila cocktail you need:

Añejo Tequila, lime, Triple Sec, coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut-flavored Rum, sugar syrup, and fresh cranberries. -Quite a long list, yet, worth the effort.

Get Recipe

Picante de la Casa Tequila Cocktail

6. Soho House Picante de la Casa

It does not carry the name, but this drink, too, is a twist on the Margarita. It adds two traditional Mexican cooking ingredients, cilantro, and chili, to the cocktail and omits the Triple Sec.

Get Recipe

Other Tequila Cocktails

Moving on from the Margaritas to Tequila twists on classics like the Whiskey Sour and other delicious creations.

Oaxaca Old Fashioned Cocktail

7. Oaxaca Old Fashioned

Here's a twist on another all-time classic, the Old Fashioned. The base is split between Tequila and smoky Mezcal (3:1). 

A couple of dashes of Angostura bitters and a good portion of agave nectar complete this drink.

Get Recipe

Tequila Sour

8. Tequila Sour

The Tequila Sour follows the traditional formula of Sour Cocktails: base spirit, citrus juice, syrup, and a frothy egg white top. Three drops of Angostura Aromatic Bitters complete this beautiful drink.

Get Recipe

Cantarito Tequila Cocktail

9. Cantarito

This citrus-forward blend is worth trying. Apart from Silver Tequila, you will need orange juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice, and grapefruit soda.

Get Recipe

AMF Blue Tequila Cocktail

10. AMF - Adios Mother Fucker

Don't be put off by the name. There's no other reason for it than that such names were fashionable for cocktails in the 80s. 

It's a blue-colored riff on the Long Island Iced Tea, with an equally long list of ingredients. The blue color, of course, comes from Blue Curaçao.

Get Recipe

Paloma Tequila Cocktails

11. Paloma

To be precise, the Paloma is also a grapefruity twist on the Margarita. Still, it is so popular and has ifself already brought forth various twists of its own. And as such, it deserves a stand-alone position on this list of Tequila cocktails.

Get Recipe

Even more Tequila cocktail inspiration

More about Tequila

If you saw a specific Tequila mentioned for some recipes, like Reposado or Silver, and you don't know what that means, I recommend reading our article on the different types of Tequila.

And if you want to stock up on Tequila in your home bar and are unsure what to buy, here are our favorite bottles for a perfect Margarita.

The Picante de la Casa Cocktail, also called the Soho House Picante or Soho House Tonic, is a creation of the Soho House Club. That is a group of private members' clubs with its origin in Soho in the Londoner West End. 

The cocktail, however, does not have its roots in England but in West Hollywood, USA. -Although, actually, it looks like it could be straight out of Mexico.

Ingredients of the Picante de la Casa

The Picante de la Casa Cocktail is a mix of the classic Margarita ingredients -Tequila, Agava syrup, and lime- and two typical Mexican spices, namely coriander (cilantro) and chili. 

Tequila in the Soho House Picante

The ideal type of Tequila for the Picante de la Casa is Reposado. Reposado means that the spirit was aged for at least 60 days in oak barrels. The maximum aging time for Reposado Tequila is 364 days.

The beauty of Reposado is that they acquired some of the rich characteristics of aged spirits while still being more affordable than an actual Añejo. Perfect for a high-quality mixed drink.

If you look for recommendations, you can never go wrong with Patrón or Herradura. Yet, every Tequila you have in your home bar works as long as it is of decent quality. -Though, make sure it is a 100% agave spirit, not a Mixto. 

Follow this link to read more on the different types of Tequila. 

Picante de la casa cocktail (Soho House)

Cilantro in the Picante de la Casa

Coriander - or Cilantro- is not everybody's cup of tea. But it works well in Mexican dishes and Mexican-inspired drinks. 

So, even if you're not a fan of the aromatic leaves, you surely will like the Picante de la Casa Cocktail. -It's also not the dominant flavor of the cocktail, but it adds some lovely freshness.

By the way, in many countries, cilantro and coriander would be the same thing. -The leaves of the plant. 

In the US, however, coriander refers to the seeds. So, to avoid confusion, you need the leaves for the Soho House Picante.

Cilantro and Jalapeno

Chili

Not all chili is the same. And everybody who has come into closer contact with different species of those hot peppers likely knows that.

The level of heat can vary dramatically and is measured in Scoville (SHU). 

Regular bell pepper has 0 SHU, while a Habanero already has between 100,000 and 350,000 SHU. And even though the scale goes up to 2 million, a Habanero already is one hot pepper. Trust me!

For the Picante de la Casa Cocktail, a red jalapeño should be enough. It has moderate heat between 2,500 and 10,000 SHU. 

If you can handle a bit more spice, Cayenne pepper is a nice alternative. 

Agave syrup and lime

Agave syrup, or agave nectar, does a great job of balancing the heat, the tartness, and the alcoholic bite. Also, it complements the flavors from the Tequila beautifully, as it is also agave-based.

As for the lime juice, the most important thing here is squeezing it from fresh fruit. Pre-bottled short-cuts lead to substandard drinks, and that would be a waste.

If you want to make your life easier, roll the limes with a flat hand on a tabletop before squeezing them. That helps release the juices.

Garnish and glassware

The garnish for the Picante de la Casa is pretty straightforward. It's the upper part plus the stem of the chili incorporated in the cocktail.

You will also need a large ice cube to be able to place the chili stem on top. 

As for the glassware, an old fashioned glass does have the perfect size for the Soho House Picante. With taller or narrower glasses, you will struggle with the garnish.

Picante de la casa cocktail (Soho House) garnish

Origin of the Picante de la Casa

The clue clearly is in the title! The Soho House Picante de la Casa is a creation of the Soho House Club. The first version of the drink, the Margarita Picante, was created by the former beverage manager at Soho Beach House Miami sometime before 2012.

This version was a lot more complex and time-consuming to make, with ingredients like hot sauce, cucumber juice, and the like.

In 2012, Soho House bartenders and managers met in London to standardize their bar menus, glassware, etc. And they also wanted to pick a signature cocktail.

Long story short, one of the favorite suggestions was the Picante from Miami. It was already a hit in Miami and kept great potential. However, it was too complex to mix it quickly in large quantities.

Also, it should be the signature drink for all Soho Houses worldwide, but the components were not universal and classic enough to work on all continents.

Picante de la casa cocktail (Soho House)

In the end, it was Soho House LA bar manager Chris Ojeda who presented the solution. He cut out most of the fancy stuff and replaced them with just coriander and chili.

It was an immediate success in the US. But despite trying to make it more agreeable in other cultures, it took a while for Europe and Asia to catch on. But they eventually did.

Until today, the Picante de la Casa, by far, remains the most ordered drink at Soho House bars.

Other spicy cocktails

If you now have a taste for hot and spicy cocktails, there are more drinks you can mix up with your favorite chili flavor. 

Delicious and easy-to-make options are the Spicy Grapefruit Margarita, the Spicy Fifty, and the Michelada, a Mexican refreshment made with beer.

Spicy Fifty

The first uses jalapeño-infused Tequila and chili powder to get those beautiful heat into your drink.

The latter, the Michelada, is a beer-based beverage that gets spiced up with a whole lot of hot sauces and savory ingredients that work incredibly well together.

If you want something more elegant with a more restrained heat, try the Spicy Fifty. It's a beautiful and complex blend of Vanilla Vodka, Elderflower, honey, lime, and chili. 

Picante de la casa cocktail (Soho House)

Picante de la Casa (Soho House)

A spicy twist on the Margarita
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: agave, chili, lime, Tequila
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 221kcal
Cost: $2.6

Equipment

  • 1 Cocktail Shaker
  • 1 Fine-mesh strainer
  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Muddler
  • 1 Old fashioned glass

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Reposado Tequila
  • 1 oz lime juice - freshly squeezed
  • 0.75 oz agave syrup
  • 2 - 3 thin slices of Chili pepper - deseeded
  • 5 - 6 coriander (cilantro) leaves with stem

Instructions

  • Cut the deseeded chili slices into small pieces and toss them in your cocktail shaker
  • Gently slap the cilantro with your hand to release its aroma and add it to your shaker, too.
  • Now, muddle chili and coriander leaves before adding the remaining ingredients and plenty of ice.
  • Shake vigorously until the tins of your shaker are cold, and double-strain the drink into a glass with a large ice cube.
  • Place the stem of the chili pepper on top of the ice cube

Nutrition

Serving: 3.75ozCalories: 221kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.1gSodium: 0.6mgPotassium: 38mgSugar: 10gVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 4.7mgIron: 0.05mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

The refreshing, fizzy Collins Cocktails have a very long tradition. They go back to at least the early 1800s and, quite possibly, even longer than that. The sour cocktails originated in England and were first made with a gin base. But over time, the Collins recipe became its own cocktail category with dozens of twists and tweaks.

Ingredients of Collins Cocktails

Collins cocktails are classic, refreshing, sparkling drinks. The formula for Collins Cocktails is simple. -All you need are four ingredients: a base spirit, lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda water. Some also refer to this as the Collins mix:

The Perfect Ratio

Our favorite measurements for basic Collins Cocktails are two parts spirit, 0.75 parts lemon juice, 0.5 part syrup, and 1.5 parts soda water. It's sour & refreshing and gets you a moderate ABV of about 16%.

One of the first written-down Collins recipes is the Tom Collins from Jerry Thomas Bartender Guide, published in 1887. 

He asked for 0.75 tbsp of sugar, three dashes of lemon juice, two dashes of lime juice, five lumps of ice, a cup of gin, and a bottle of soda. -He also advised drinking the cocktail immediately because otherwise, it would lose its flavor.

Over time, the ratios changed. -With modern mixology continuously trying to reach the perfect balance in a drink. Today, there's still some variation in ratios, depending on personal taste and recipe and the base spirit you pick. Still, our go-to ratio (2 parts spirit, 0.75 lime, 0.5 syrup, 1.5 soda) usually works great.

Collins Cocktail

Garnish for Collins Cocktails

The standard garnish for Collins cocktails, like the John or the Tom Collins, is a Maraschino cherry combined with a lemon peel. So, if you want to keep it traditional, that's the way to go. 

Do yourself a favor, and don't go with the cheap candied cocktail cherries. If you want a cherry for garnish for your drink, opt for authentic or homemade Maraschino cherries. They add a beautiful, really pleasant almond and cherry flavor to the mix.

Alternatively or additionally, peels from citrus fruit like orange or lime make a nice garnish. 

For a fancier visual, you can consider adding some berries, a mint sprig, or even a pretty flower garnish. All go well with gin-based Collins cocktails and with other variations. 

What is a Collins Glass?

Collins cocktails have their own signature glassware - the Collins glass, which has a cylindrical shape and looks similar to a highball glass. It's higher and slightly narrower, though. 

The average capacity of a Collins glass is between 10 to 14 oz - or about 300 to 420ml. The height-to-diameter proportion is between 2.5:1 and 3:1. An example size would be 6.75in high and 2.5in diameter - or in cm that's 17cm high and 6cm wide. 

What is a Collins Stick?

Collins ice sticks or spears

The Collins Stick is a long, clear, rectangular, ideally crystal clear ice stick. It fits into the Collins glass perfectly and melts slower due to its large size and high quality.

You put it into your cocktail glass before adding all ingredients, and the stick leaves just enough space to put in your bar spoon and give your drink a little stir before drinking it. Which brings us to the next question:

How to Make Collins Cocktails - Shake or Stir?

You best combine three ingredients of these drinks - spirit, citrus juice, and syrup - in a shaker, then pour that mix into your glass, top it up with the soda and use a bar spoon to stir everything gently.

Generally, you don't shake cocktails that have a fizzy component. Or, to be more precise, you should not add the carbonated element to your cocktail shaker. However, Collins Cocktails are no drinks you usually would stir in a mixing glass either. 

Alternatively to our approach, you can build these drinks directly in the glass and make do with a gentle stir after pouring the soda. However, lemon and syrup blend better with the spirit when shaking them.

Collins Cocktail Garnish

Members of the Collins Family

What started with John and Tom is now a whole Collins Family because the template is extremely versatile and works with almost every base spirit.

Since the concept of the late John Collins - the bartender who made the cocktail famous- was such a winner, all variations have their own fun first name. 

Some whiskey-based Collins cocktails are, for instance:

Variations with other base spirits are:

Origin of Collins Cocktails

It is a general consensus that the concept of mixing citrus juice, sugar, gin, and soda was already a thing sometime before the early 19th century. 

Yet, it was in 1810 when bartender John Collins decided to name this formula after himself. He served the drink regularly at his pub Limmer's Old House in London, and people picked up on it. 

Historians believe the initial recipe might have contained genever - the forerunner of gin. However, because Old Tom was so readily available in the England of the 19th century, this type of gin became a common choice.

Soon, many also referred to the drink as Tom Collins, which caused some confusion in today's world of mixology. If you want to know more about this, you can read the whole story in our article about the difference between the Tom and the John Collins.

Difference Between a Collins and a Fizz

Since the components of a John Collins and a Gin Fizz are the same, I quickly want to point out the main differences:

Using Flavored Syrup

If you want to mix up a creative twist on a Collins Cocktail, you can replace the simple syrup with flavored versions. For instance, floral sweeteners like homemade elderflower or butterfly pea syrup work great with gin-based Collins drinks. -Butterfly pea also adds a bit of magic to your drink because it changes color.

Raspberry Collins

Fruity syrups made from fig, raspberry, or pink dragon fruit also go well with gin, while pineapple or passion fruit syrup are fantastic additions to a rum-based Collins. Another classic choice would be agave syrup for the tequila-based Juan Collins.

The options are endless because the Collins template is so versatile. So, there's a lot of room for being experimental.

Related Articles

Collins Drinks are not the only popular cocktail type in mixology. Here are some more top categories that include some ultimate classics and crowd-pleasers:

Tom Collins Cocktail

Tom Collins

A refreshing, sour cocktail made with Old Tom Gin, lemon, syrup, and soda.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: British
Keyword: Gin
Servings: 1
Calories: 199kcal
Cost: $2.70

Equipment

  • 1 Collins glass
  • 1 Cocktail Shaker
  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Hawthorne Strainer

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Old Tom Gin
  • 0.75 oz Freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz Simple syrup
  • 1.5 oz Chilled soda water
  • 1 lemon peel
  • 1 Maraschino cherry

Instructions

  • Add Gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup into your cocktail shaker together with a cup of ice.
  • Shake until the shaker feels ice cold and strain the contents over ice into a Collins glass.
  • Top your drink with ice-cold soda water and garnish with citrus peel and a Maraschino cherry.

Nutrition

Serving: 5ozCalories: 199kcalCarbohydrates: 13.25gSodium: 13.25mgPotassium: 62.25mgSugar: 13gVitamin C: 9.25mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 0.03mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Everybody knows Tequila, and lately, more and more people know Mezcal. But few know that Tequila, in fact, is a type of Mezcal and even fewer are aware that there are way more Mexican spirits. And not all of them are made from agave - even though, admittedly, the majority are.

This article is about traditional Mexican spirits. Of course, Mexico also produces Whiskey and a lot of other stuff, too. But those do not originate in Mexico, and I save those for another time.

So, here is our overview of traditional Mexican Spirits, starting with the most popular one.

Tequila

Tequila certainly is the clear number one on this list. The spirit is made from one particular kind of agave, the blue weber agave. And it has to be produced in one of the five Mexican states of Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit, or Tamaulipas. Tequila comes in different types, classified by their quality and by the time they are aged. 

Tequila also is one of the most famous spirits to have as a shot. And for some of us, this may have led to bad ideas and severe hangovers in the past. So, if you've had your share of Tequila shots already, try one of the many Tequila cocktails instead. For instance, the Spicy Grapefruit Margarita, the Tommy's Margarita, or another riff on a classic, the Oaxaca Old Fashioned. If it's close to the festive season, a White Chistmas Margarita Punch is quite an eye-catcher, too.

Mezcal

Mezcal is becoming more and more popular in recent years. The spirit is also made of agave, has a distinct smoky taste, and is not as strictly regulated as Tequila. It must be double-distilled and can be made of 30 different agave species, with the most common being Espadin. And just as for Tequila, you can get different types of Mezcal.

There are also fewer geographic restrictions, which brought the spirit on the radar of celebrities. As a result, we now have Casamigos Mezcal by George Clooney. Or Dos Hombres Mezcal by two of our favorite Breaking Bad actors, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul.

Yet, the majority of Mezcal still comes from Oaxaca, Mexico. If you have never tried Mezcal before, try a sip neatly to get an idea of what smoky taste means in the context of agave spirit. It can be quite an experience. To balance the intense smokiness, you can also beautifully incorporate Mezcal in cocktails.

Should you need advice on which Mezcal to buy, check out this list with our Mezcal recommendations.

agave pina

Sotol

Sotol has had a bit of a difficult childhood. Once belonging to the category of Mexican agave spirits, it was re-classified when the plant used to make it, the so-called desert spoon, suddenly wasn't considered an agave anymore. But apart from the scientific/botanical aspect, Sotol nonetheless is closely related to Mezcal and Tequila

The taste of Sotol is closer to Tequila than it is to Mezcal, simply because the production process doesn't involve roasting the plants, and therefore it's not a smoky spirit. The plant used for making Sotol grows anywhere between Texas, US, and Oaxaca, MX. And the taste of this Mexican spirit strongly depends on the territory where the plants get harvested.

Except for the Desert Door Distillery in Texas, Sotol is distilled only in Mexico, with Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango being the main producers.

Pox

Pox is the first spirit on this list that is in no way related to agave. Its base is fermented corn, wheat, and sugarcane. And it is even more of a niche product than Sotol. But, like Sotol, this ancient Mayan spirit slowly starts to gain some international recognition. In case you were wondering, Mexicans pronounce the "x" like "sh". So the correct way to say it would be "Posh". 

Because the product is not legally regulated, you can get a whole variety of different Pox with flavors ranging from sweet, slightly rum-like to notes reminding of smoky corn tortillas. 

When you want to use Pox in Cocktails, you can substitute it for Rum or for Gin even. Despite being a Mexican spirit, it's not the best choice for classic Mexican cocktails like the Margarita or the Paloma.

Charanda

Charanda is best described as Mexican Rum. And it is made from sugarcane in the form of either juice, molasses, piloncillo, or a combination of those.  

Piloncillo is unrefined sugarcane in solid form. After fermenting the sugar cane, the mash is distilled twice before being bottled.

Piloncillo

The Mexican spirit is commercially available unaged only, but some experiment with barrel-aging.And even though it is referred to as Mexican Rum because of its base product, it tastes nothing like Rum. It has some unexpected floral and fruity notes mixed into the spiciness coming from the sugarcane.

In the Purépecha language, Charanda means red-colored soil, which derives from the hill range Cerro de la Charanda, where the first distillery was built in the 16th century. And the characteristics of the spirit depend a lot on the territory of origin.

Therefore, since 2003, Charanda has been officially a protected denomination of origin spirit. Since then, only products made from sugarcane growing and being distilled in one of 16 municipalities (from a total of 113) within the Mexican state of Michoacán can be called Charanda. So the territorial restriction is a lot stricter than it is for Tequila.

However, the passion for distilling Charanda also is way less than for Tequila. And where once were almost 100 distillers, there are only about 6 or 7 left today. And because the name is so little known, these producers write aguardiente or artisanal Rum on their bottles. But with the rise of Mezcal and Sotol, Charanda, too, prepares for a comeback.

Raicilla

Now we're back with the Mexican spirits from agave again. Raicalla basically is a Mezcal produced outside the designated Mezcal states. Funnily enough, the largest part of the production happens in Jalisco, the state primarily associated with Tequila.

As for Mezcal, the agave hearts are roasted before distillation. But unlike other Mexican spirits that need to be double-distilled, Raicilla is usually single-distilled. It has a four times longer fermentation process than Mezcal and can be made of any agave species. 

Because of the extended production process and the countless agave varieties used, the flavor profile of Raicilla is hard to pin down. It has a massive range. Yet, usually, it is pretty acidic and not the ideal Mexican spirit to use in cocktails. 

Raicilla once was the drink of the poor and, as such, first prohibited and then heavily taxed. Production moved underground, quite similar to the Irish Poitín. And because taxes were only on spirits made from the piña, peopled lied when tax collectors became suspicious. They said they used the roots instead of the piña - of course, they didn't. But it still manifested the name Raicilla or little root.

Fermented Agave Pinas

Comiteco

Comiteco is yet another agave spirit, but it is solely made in one town in Chiapas, Comitán de Domínguez, and from the juice of one type of agave, the maguey Comiteco.

It is quite a smooth drink with an herbal and earthy aroma, but none of the smokiness we know from Mezcal or Raicilla. For Comiteco, neither the piña (heart) nor the pencas (leaves) of the agave are used. Instead, only agave sap is extracted from the piña and then distilled. This sap is also called aguamiel, which literally translates to honey water.

In the mid-1900s, the production of Comiteco was almost on one level with Tequila, but a dramatic shortage of maguey Comiteco brought it to a sudden halt. And to protect the few plants left, the spirit was banned in the 60s. And that ban was lifted only in the 90s when the population had fully recovered. Thankfully, these days, the production of Comiteco is way more sustainable than it used to be in the 1950s.

It's hard to pinpoint the taste of Comiteco. It's a bit like Rum mixed with agave and a hint of honey. But because it's so smooth, it makes a decent good cocktail ingredient.

Bacanora

Like Tequila, Bacanora is a sub-type of Mezcal. The Mexican spirit was issued an origin denomination bill in 2000 and since then can be made only from agave growing in designated municipalities in the state of Sonora. 

And to round up that article nicely, tastewise, it occupies a spot right between Mezcal and Tequila, with the production method being more similar to that of Mezcal. It has a complex and peppery aroma with an earthy finish. And it carries a subtle smokiness, too. 

First, Bacanora could be made from any wild agave plant, but the more popular it became, the more refined got the production process. And eventually, only Agave Pacifica was deemed suitable for making the spirit.

And Sonorans loved this new, smooth spirit. So much, in fact, that government put an end to it. Not because of any shortage in agave, but because people drank it every day, and things started to get out of hand. That was in the late 19th century, and it took almost 100 years for the ban to be lifted again. Since 1992, Sonorans can enjoy their favorite spirit in public again. Cheers to that!

A frozen Mango Margarita is a fabulous drink for a summer holiday. It's best enjoyed during the day when the sun is shining. It follows the basic principle of a traditional Mexican Margarita but adds some bold fruit flavor to the mix. It has a frothy texture, is ice cold, and combines the refreshing, sweet taste of mango with the punch from the popular Mexican spirit.

Ingredients for a frozen Mango Margarita

Basically, you need all ingredients you would for a classic Margarita, plus some mango. Meaning, Tequila, Triple Sec, fresh lime juice, salt, and the star of the show: frozen Mangos. And that's also the beauty of this cocktail. As opposed to a Mango Margarita on the rocks, it works with frozen fruit. And that makes the whole mixing process pretty straightforward.

Even though I prefer to make the effort and use fresh fruits if I have the time. -Getting fresh, ripe mangos, dicing, and then freezing them yourself creates a sweeter and more intense mango flavor than frozen fruits do. But it's also a lot of extra work and not necessary to make a great Mango Margarita.

So, if you decide to use fresh mango, the drink works beautifully without an additional sweetener. With frozen fruit, I prefer to add a sweet component to enrich the sweet taste of the mangos. You can go with simple syrup, mango simple syrup, or agave syrup, which complements the flavor of the agave-based Tequila nicely.

How to make a frozen Mango Margarita

Start with squeezing some fresh lime for the lime juice. Then continue with the salt rim for your glasses. Use a lime wedge to moisten the rim and dip it in chili salt. For a classic Margarita, I prefer fleur de sel, but with the texture of a frozen drink, I -like many others- somehow find the chili salt a better match.

Once done with salt-rimming your glasses, you can start with the actual drink. Because you have to use a blender for this frozen Mango Margarita, it's easier to prepare it in a larger volume. Therefore, as an exception from our other recipes, the measurements below are for four servings instead of one only.

Using frozen mango will save you the time for freezing and cutting them, as they usually come in small dices already. So all you need to do, really, is grab your food blender and combine all ingredients plus some ice cubes until you get a thick, smooth, and silky texture. Your drink is now more of a sorbet than a cocktail. So if you want to, you can let it water down a bit simply by waiting until some of the frozen water melts and makes your cocktail more liquid.

Unfrozen versions of a Mango Margarita

If you don't like frozen drinks, in general, but love the idea of a Mango Margarita, you can also make unfrozen versions. One would be a Mango Margarita on the rocks, prepared with the juice from fresh mangos.

But in case you don't have a juicer handy, you can also achieve a great result with fresh diced fruit instead of frozen mangos. Just substitute the frozen mangos in the recipe below with fresh ones and add another handful of ice cubes - but make sure your blender can handle them. You will get a beautiful, smoothy-like drink with a boozy kick of Tequila.

The best Tequila for a Mango Margarita

Usually, I use Silver Tequila for Margaritas, but for the Mango version, a Reposado or Añejo adds a nice layer of flavor. The sweetness from the mangos goes perfectly with the sweeter notes of aged Tequila.

As with all cocktails, you should use a spirit base of decent quality to achieve great results. If you're looking for good value for money, Patrón is a nice mid-shelf choice. But a silver or other types of Tequila work, too. So you don't need to hurry to the shops and buy an aged one if you have a good bottle of unaged Tequila at home.

For more inspiration on the Tequila part check our list of Tequilas that work great in a Margarita.

frozen mango margarita

Frozen Mango Margarita

A frozen, fruity drink perfect for a hot summer day.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Mango, Tequila
Servings: 4
Calories: 272kcal
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • 1 Food Blender
  • 1 Jigger

Ingredients

  • 3 cups frozen, diced mango
  • 6 oz Tequila - Reposado or Añejo
  • 2 oz Triple Sec
  • 3 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1 oz agave syrup
  • 1 cup ice cubes

Instructions

  • Moisten the rim of four cocktail glasses with a lime wedge
  • Dip the rims of your glass in sea salt and set it aside while preparing the Margarita.
  • Use a blender to combine Tequila, Triple Sec, diced frozen mango, ice, lime juice, and agave syrup.
  • Pour directly out of the blender into your prepared glasses and enjoy.
  • If the consistency is too thick for your liking, let the drinks sit for a few minutes. The water will melt and create a more liquidy cocktail.

Nutrition

Serving: 9.25ozCalories: 272kcalCarbohydrates: 115.1gProtein: 3.33gFat: 0.8gSodium: 7.53mgPotassium: 742.75mgSugar: 90.28gVitamin C: 314.75mgCalcium: 88.75mgIron: 2.05mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

A Mango Margarita on the Rocks is the perfect warm-weather drink. It combines the zing of Tequila with the sweet freshness of mangos, the citrusy tartness of lemon, and a hint of bitterness from orange liqueur to balance it all out.
This recipe sets the mood for summer instantly. And that's all it takes:

About the drink

You need Mangos, Tequila, Triple Sec, and lemons. Using fresh, ripe Mangos is the key to the perfect Mango Margarita on ice. Juices or nectar won't bring enough flavor to your cocktail, and you won't get the summer-mood freshness either.

And getting 100% Mango juice in stores seems to be an impossible task anyway. Looking at the back of a container, you usually see stuff like "apple juice from concentrate" or "pear juice from concentrate". -Even if the label on the front gives you the impression you would buy 100% mango juice, you're usually not.

So, if you want to do a Mango Margarita on the rocks, juicing fresh mangos is your best option - the same goes for the lime juice, by the way.

Once you have your fresh Mango juice, get your cocktail shaker. Add all ingredients to your shaker, and add plenty of ice. Shake until the outside of your cocktail shaker feels ice cold, then strain the content over ice into a (chili) salt-rimmed glass.

Which Tequila?

Usually, we like to use Silver Tequila for Margaritas, like, for instance, with a Coconut Margarita or also the classic version. But in this particular case, I prefer a Reposado or Añejo. The sweet and rich flavor of mangos goes extremely well with the aroma of aged spirits. For instance, Patrón offers good value for money. But a Blanco or Silver Tequila works, too. Only make sure to buy one of decent quality because a cocktail can only be as good as the base spirit used. -Even if you add a flavor as intense as mango.

How to pick the perfect fruit

If you don't buy mangos regularly, you might find it hard to tell the ripe ones, the premature, ore the overripe ones apart. -The nice red cheeks won't tell you anything except which side was facing the sun. However, these three things will:

I like to buy my mangos a few days earlier. They continue maturing at room temperature and are usually last long. -Even if bought quite ripe already. But don't store them in the fridge. They will only lose their beautiful flavor.

How to skin a Mango

To remove the pit from a mango, hold the fruit with one hand, stem down. Then take a sharp knife to cut from the top of the mango down one side of the pit. Do this on both sides. Use your knife to cut off the fruit flesh close to the skin and dice the halves.

cutting mango

And if your fruit is already quite ripe, simply scoop out its flesh with a tablespoon. The middle part might look as if there's a lot of fruit left, but it is mostly pit and unusable.

-You may have seen people crosscutting and then inverting mango halves into fruity hedgehogs or something. But, unless it is for garnish, don't bother. With ripe mango, it's not even half as easy as these clips make it look.

Different versions

There are multiple ways to approach this drink, and if juicing your fresh mangos first seems like too much of an effort, you can also make a frozen Mango Margarita by using frozen, diced mangos. To make a frozen Mango Margarita, you will need a blender instead of a cocktail shaker.

The second is, making it a not frozen Mango Margarita. It's a refreshing, slightly smoothie-like drink with mango puree from fresh fruits. This one can be made in a shaker or in a blender.

Mango Margarita on the Rocks

Mango Margarita on the Rocks

A fruity, fresh, summery twist on the classic Margarita
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Juicing Mango: 10 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Mango, Tequila
Servings: 1
Calories: 233kcal
Cost: $2.80

Equipment

  • 1 Cocktail Shaker
  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Hawthorne Strainer
  • 1 Juicer

Ingredients

  • 1½ oz Tequila - Reposado or Añejo
  • 1½ oz fresh mango juice
  • ¾ oz fresh lime juice
  • ½ oz Triple Sec
  • 1 tsp agave syrup - optional

Instructions

  • Moisten the rim of your glass with a lime wedge.
  • Dip the rim of your glass in chili salt and set it aside while preparing the Mango Margarita.
  • Combine Tequila, Triple Sec, mango juice, and lime juice in your shaker and shake with plenty of ice. If you want a bit of extra sweetness, add a teaspoon of agave or simple syrup.
    1½ oz Tequila, 1½ oz fresh mango juice, ¾ oz fresh lime juice, ½ oz Triple Sec, 1 tsp agave syrup
  • Use a strainer to pour the drink over fresh ice into your prepared glass.

Nutrition

Serving: 5ozCalories: 233kcalCarbohydrates: 9.2gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.15gSodium: 1.05mgPotassium: 91.75mgSugar: 7.58gVitamin C: 14.9mgCalcium: 11.5mgIron: 0.27mg
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