Fun New Margarita Recipes to Make
We all love margaritas, right? But who said they have to be the same old concoctions year in and year out? Here, find over a dozen great margarita recipes for you to try, including 7 from this year’s Patron Margarita of the Year competition. Others incorporate mezcal or alternative agave spirits, while elsewhere you’ll find all sorts of unique ingredients and techniques. Some are riffs in an entirely new direction, and aren’t even a margarita at all. But hey, who’s keeping track? If your margaritas are still boring this year, then that’s your own fault.
The Gavilán
From: Montelobos Mezcal Brand Ambassador Camille Austin
Recipe:
- 2 parts Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
- 2 parts grapefruit juice
- 1 part lime juice
- 2 parts Jarritos de toronja* (grapefruit flavor)
Build into a highball over ice, garnish with a salt rim and grapefruit slice
Smoke & Fire Margarita
From: Montelobos Mezcal Brand Ambassador Camille Austin
Recipe:
- 1 part Montelobos Mezcal
- 1 Part Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
- ¾ part lime juice
- ½ part simple syrup
Shake, garnish with hibiscus salt rim & an orange slice
Patron Mango Margarita
From: Cuba Libre Restaurant in Washington, D.C.
Recipe:
- 1.25 oz Patron silver
- 0.5 oz Patron Citronge Mango Liqueur
- 1.5 oz mango puree
- 1.25oz Fresh lime juice
- Garnish Lime wedge
- Glassware wine on rocks/martini up
In a small mixing tin add Patron silver tequila, Patron Citronge Mango Liqueur, mango pure, and lime juice. Dry shake, pour over ice. Shake well 6 times. Pour into wine glass. Garnish with Lime wedge. Serve on wine glass on the rocks or martini glass straight up
Mayahuel
From: Megan Barnes of Espita Mezcaleria in Washington, D.C.
Recipe:
- 1.5 oz Fidencio Clásico
- .75 oz Gabriel Boudier Triple Sec
- .75 oz fresh strained lime juice
- .25 teaspoon raw agave nectar
Shake over ice and double strain. Serve in a coupe with a sal de gusano rim.
Patrón Smoked Sea Salt Margarita
From: Patrón
Recipe:
- 1½ oz Patrón Silver
- ½ oz Fresh lime juice
- ½ oz Pineapple juice
- ½ oz Agave nectar
- A pinch of smoked paprika
- Smoked sea salt
Prepare an old fashioned glass by moistening the rim and rolling it in smoked sea salt. Shake everything with ice. Fine strain over fresh ice cubes in the prepared glass. Garnish with a lime and a dusting of smoked paprika.
Casa Noble Hibiscus Margarita
From: Jenn Plotzke at Añejo Tribeca
Recipe:
- 1.5oz Casa Noble Tequila Joven
- 1oz *housemade Hibiscus Syrup
- 3/4oz Freshly squeezed Mexican lime juice
Shake all ingredients together with cube ice and strain into a salt-rimmed rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a wedge of lime
*To make the hibiscus syrup
- 8oz dried hibiscus leaves
- 12oz cane sugar
- 32oz water
Mix all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil, simmer. Set aside for 5 minutes then strain into a bottle and chill.
Magnetic Pole Reversal
From: Jay Schroeder of Chicago’s
Recipe:
- Sotol
- Cucumber pureé
- Coriander
- Gentian liqueur
- Fresh basil
Explains Schroeder: “This one features Sotol. It’s a different agave spirit from the north of Mexico.” Sotol is made from a plant called desert spoon and has an herbaceous, almost grassy flavor.
Gochujang Michelada
From: Brook Vandecar at Succotash
Recipe:
- Belgian-style tripel
- Bourbon
- Lime Juice
- Chung Jung One Gochujang Sauce
- Orange Juice
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Honey
Rim a glass with Korean chili flakes and salt. Combine bourbon, Gochujang sauce, lime juice, orange juice, Worcestershire sauce and honey into a base, and mix that with the Belgian-style triple.
Tullamore D.E.W. Margarita
From: Tullamore D.E.W.
Recipe:
- 1 ½ parts Tullamore D.E.W. Original
- 1 part Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
- ¼ part Montelobos Mezcal
- ¾ parts Fresh Lime Juice
- 4 drops of Bettermen’s Burlesque Bitter
Fill shaker with ice, and shake vigorously. Strain into ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a lime wheel. To make it a Lagerita, strain into ice-filled highball glass, and then add Lager Beer (Modelo Especial recommended). Garnish with a lime wheel.
Patron’s Margarita of the Year Competition
Earlier this year, Patron hosted a Margarita of the Year competition in honor of National Margarita Day. The competition showcased 7 distinctive margaritas each highlighting a special trait or characteristic. Public voting then weighed in to pick a favorite, the Patron 2016 Margarita of the Year.
The winner was:
Spicy: Rosa Picante Margarita
From: Jordan Corney of San Antonio
Recipe:
- 2 oz Patrón Silver
- .5 oz Patrón Citrónge Lime
- 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- .5 oz Ginger Syrup
- Barspoon Jalapeño Oil
- Dash rosewater
- Rose petal sea salt
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe that has been half-rimmed with rose sea salt, and top with a dash of rose water. Garnish with a rose petal, if available.
Modern: The Re-Margarita
From: Rosie Ruiz of Los Angeles, California
Recipe:
- 2 oz Patrón Silver
- 2 oz Carbonated Homemade Orange-Lime Cordial*
Pour Patrón Silver over cracked ice in a double old fashioned glass, and top off with an equal measure of the carbonated homemade orange-lime cordial. Gently stir ingredients to combine. Garnish with lime and orange wheels studded with a clove.
*Carbonated Homemade Orange-Lime Cordial:
- 2.5 oz Patrón Citrónge Lime
- 8 Limes
- 10 Medium Navel Oranges
- 4 Cloves
- 4 Cups of Cane Sugar
Place the peels of 8 limes and 10 oranges in a bowl along with 4 cups sugar and muddle to release the essential oils. Cover and let sit for 1 hour. Meanwhile, juice the limes and oranges. After 1 hour, add citrus juices, 2.5 oz. Patrón Citrónge Lime and 4 whole cloves and stir to create a syrup. Refrigerate 8-12 hours, then strain and store in fridge. To carbonate, mix 18.5 ounces of the cordial liquid with 6 oz. water and charge using a soda siphon or whipped cream charger with two six-gram CO2 cartridges.
Smoky: Smoked Mangonada Margarita
From: Stephen Halpin of Dallas, Texas
Recipe:
- 2 oz Patrón Reposado
- .75 oz Smoked Patrón Citrónge Mango*
- .75 oz Mango Puree*
- .75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain over fresh ice into an ice-filled double old fashioned glass that has been rimmed with Tajin (a chili lime salt). Garnish with a slice of fresh mango.
*Smoked Patrón Citrónge Mango:
Pour 6 oz of Patrón Citrónge Mango into a large empty bottle. Using a smoking gun, fill the bottle with smoke and swirl to combine for 20 seconds. It is now ready to be used as needed.
*Mango Puree:
Peel and pit one ripe mango and cut into pieces. In a food processor, purée mango with 1.5 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice until smooth.
Classic: Hacienda Margarita
From: Andrés Moran of Guadalajara, Mexico
Recipe:
- 1.5 oz Patrón Silver
- .5 oz Patrón Citrónge Orange
- .5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- .25 oz Agave Nectar
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain over fresh ice into a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Savory: Winter in Jaliso Margarita
From: Laura Newman of New York
Recipe:
- 1.5 oz Patrón Silver
- .75 oz Patrón XO Cafe
- .5 oz Patrón Citrónge Orange
- .75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 barspoon (.125 oz) Toasted Sesame Oil
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain over fresh ice into a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with a slice of fresh kumquat.
Tropical: Stargarita
From: Bettina Barnoczki of Miami, Florida
Recipe:
- 1.5 oz Patrón Silver Infused with Mint Tea*
- .5 oz Patrón Citrónge Mango
- .5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- .5 oz Star Fruit Puree or Muddled Star Fruit
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain over fresh ice into a salt-rimmed Collins glass. Garnish with a slice of star fruit and a lime wheel.
*Patrón Silver Infused with Mint Tea:
Steep 4 mint tea bags per 12 oz of Patrón Silver for 30 minutes. Remove teabags.
Herbal: The Resting Garden Margarita
From: Ryan Brown of Tampa, Florida
Recipe:
- 1.75 oz Patrón Reposado
- .5 oz Patrón Citrónge Mango
- 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- .75 oz Agave Syrup
- 6 Sage Leaves, (2 for garnish)
- Pinch of Salt
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Holding a fine mesh strainer in one hand, “double strain” the drink by pouring the drink through it into an ice-filled old fashioned glass. Garnish with two sage leaves and a grilled mango slice.
That’s more than just a few exciting new margarita recipes for you to explore this year. Go forth!
