When the weather’s on side, there’s nothing like a margarita to quench your thirst on a balmy day.
The party cocktail is made for sunshine sippin’, perfect for Friday night, the weekend and keeping you company on your sunlounger. But that’s not to say it’s a purely summer serve, oh no. With a few tweaks, it can be made for winter, Christmas and New Year too - 365 days of margaritas? Sign. Us. Up.
Who invented the Margarita cocktail?
Not to be confused with the similar-sounding cheese-and-tomato pizza, there are many legends laying claim to inventing the world-famous cocktail.
Some say it was made in honour of Hollywood great Rita Hayworth; others claim it was for the singer Peggy Lee. Various barkeeps swear that they were the first to mix this tart, salty drink for picky customers. One thing’s for sure - it’s been around since the 1930s and always made with the same three base ingredients. Cointreau, lime or lemon juice, and the star keeping the whole show on the road: tequila.
What tequila is best for Margaritas?
Made from blue weber agave leaves, there are three main categories of tequila that relate to the ageing of the distilled spirit, from youngest to oldest: blanco, reposado and añejo.
Añejo spends the longest time maturing - usually a year, at the least - giving it a smooth, rich flavour that some liken to whisky.
Blanco and reposado, on the other hand, are younger, and both dazzle in a Marg. Blanco is the one that bars usually keep on shelves for cocktails, but if you’re making a round at home and want a bit of extra depth or you’re feeling boujee, try adding a reposado tequila to the mix.
How to make the perfect Margarita at home
There are many variations of Margs to choose from, from picante (a Soho House staple) and frozen, to flavoured ones like watermelon and strawberry.
But the classic goes a little something like this: three parts tequila, two of a triple sec like Cointreau, and one part lime juice (the ratio is blissfully easy to remember: 3, 2, 1). Sling into a shaker and go hell for leather until it feels chilled to the touch. Strain into a salted rocks glass over ice cubes, and add a wedge of lime to finish.
While there are plenty of pre-mixed margaritas to enjoy straight from the bottle, if you fancy mixing one fresh for yourself, we’ve rounded up the best blanco and reposado tequilas to add to your online shopping basket.
Cheers!
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PATRÓN Silver Premium Tequila
Say the word ‘tequila’ and chances are you’ll instantly think of a handful of brands, including this one.
PATRÓN dominates the tequila market thanks to an excellent flavour profile that comes at a price that won’t make you wince. Made in small batches, the handcrafted premium tequila is made in the traditional way - think brick ovens and pine wood tanks to prise out the juice from blue weber agave - and shines best in classic cocktails like a Margarita or a spicy and citrussy Silver Jalisco Mule.
Buy now £41.95, Amazon
El Jimador Tequila Blanco
Named after the workers who toil in the blue agave fields to harvest the leaves to make this tequila, you can taste the quality in every sip - no wonder it’s restaurant Santo Remedio’s tequila of choice for margaritas.
The white tequila goes through a 40-day ageing process, leaving behind a smooth taste and agave flavour that works wonderfully in cocktails like a Paloma or just to sip slowly and soak up its warmth. An outstanding bottle, especially at this price.
Buy now £26.75, The Whisky Exchange
Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila 70cl
A sustainably produced, high quality, accessibly priced tequila? Olmeca Altos Tequila nails it with this luxury spirit, which thankfully comes with a palatable price tag too.
Made in the highlands of central Mexico, it’s made with blue agave and processed using 500-year-old traditional distillery methods for a smooth taste that works neat or mixed into cocktails. Try it with game-day nachos, tacos or quesadillas.
Buy now £25.50, Tesco
1800 Silver Tequila
Made from nothing but pure agave, this premium bottle is named after the year the company first began barrel-ageing the spirit. It cherishes its roots; from the bottle’s shape to the label and the flavour, it’s a tribute to the time-honoured traditions of Mexico.
The white tequila is a favourite for all kinds of cocktails, not just Margaritas: this Palomas and Tequila Sunrises too.
Buy now £35.90, Master of Malt
El Rayo Plata Tequila
The makers of this single-origin spirit champion pairing it with tonic instead of gin for a refreshing drink to reach for in all seasons. The Plata is a Blanco which does well in a Margarita, sliding down like silk and balancing the lime with a gentle sweetness from vanilla notes.
If you want to up the ante, there’s also a Reposado (£36.95) made in ex-whiskey barrels to try too. It’s a better option if you prefer your cocktail on the sweeter side.
Buy now £34.95, The Whisky Exchange
Casamigos Blanco Tequila
George Clooney: actor, film director, producer, screenwriter - and part-owner of tequila brand Casamigos. We’ve seen enough celebrity-backed products to know they don’t always work, but thankfully Casamigos is not a case of all glamour, no grit.
Production goes above and beyond minimum requirements: the agave is roasted for 10 times the normal time and given twice as long to ferment. This is a blanco, so its gone through the fewest steps to produce and is aged for only two months - but it’s still miles better for cocktails than anything with a worm in it.
Buy now £70.00, Harvey Nichols
Teremana Tequila Blanco
Clooney’s not the only one with a taste for the tequila biz; fellow Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson also has a slice of the action with his brand Teremana Tequila, which won Gold for its Reposado expression and a lauded Master medal for its Blanco the Tequila & Mezcal Masters competition.
The small batch Blanco is better for margarita-making, as the agave is simmered in artisan copper stills, leaving behind a rich, smooth flavour. How does Johnson prefer it? On the Rocks, of course (sorry).
Buy now £79.99, Amazon
818 Tequila
Spirits are the new celeb side-hustle, and practically everyone’s in on it: including Kendall Jenner.
Named for her zip code, 818 Tequila is made, as all premium tequilas are, from agave plants in Jalisco, Mexico, before being stewed in adobe brick ovens and aged in French oak barrels.
The result is this sweet, citrussy Blanco that’s screaming out to be in your next Marg. It’s the youngest in the 818 line-up: Reposado and Anejo varieties are also available.
Buy now £44.49, The Bottle Club
The Butterfly Cannon Tequila Cristalino Tequila
This 50ml bottle packs a real punch, it may be smaller than most but the ABV is 40 per cent; pretty much rocket fuel. This is the finished product after a process that includes 30 days barrel-ageing and a filtration process with charcoal. Not one to sip solo: it's been specially-designed for cocktails.
And it does good too. A portion of profits go towards supporting butterfly conservation across the US and Mexico.
Buy now £28.45, Master of Malt
Cazcabel Tequila
If you’re not sure about sipping tequila neat, a cocktail is a brilliant way to appreciate the flavours without feeling like you’re in Club 18 - 30. Cazcabel is a brand with a selection of appetising flavours under its belt, from coffee flavoured tequila to coconut and honey. If you want to dip your toe into the world of grown-up tequila, this is a superb place to start.
Buy now £26.99, Amazon
