Few things get a Friday night started like a margarita. The combination of both fresh and liquor flavoured citrus and a good tequila make for a tasty silent assassin. While everyone has their take on what the perfect margarita should be, we thought we’d shed some light on what makes a margarita such a popular choice.
Margaritas are a citrus based cocktail so they are the perfect drink to celebrate the Dracula Citrus™ range. With so many tequilas and citrus varieties to choose from, the options are almost endless. Especially during peak citrus season. This blog is our ode to the magically versatile margarita along with some handy notes and a few of our favourite margarita recipes.
Before your mix
There are three things ALL margaritas must have in order to be classified as a margarita.
- Tequila
- Orange liqueur
- Citrus (controversially we put all citrus on this list, not just lime)
Let’s talk about tequila.
We’ve all heard horror stories about having a night on tequila. Although tequila can translate into PTSD for some, if you treat this spirit with the respect it deserves (rather than shooting 15 in 15 minutes like a maniac) you may just rekindle a lost love rather than swear off it for life.
What is the primary ingredient in tequila?
No, it’s not a cactus but you’re on the right track. Tequila is derived from the Weber blue agave succulent, which is native to the semi-arid regions in Southern America. When the heart of the plant, or piña, is cooked down, the starchy residue from this process is used and converted to fermentable sugars. Add some yeast to this and the resulting liquid is the base of tequila. It’s a little more complex than this, but you get the basic idea.
Can anyone make tequila?
No. Think of it like Champagne versus a sparkling white. Interestingly, only Weber Blue Agave plants grown in certain regions of Mexico can be used to process and label the spirit as “tequila”. Tequila is produced under strict regulations and regional allocation which protect its cultural identity, so a true tequila will be harvested and produced from one of these 5 states of Mexico:
- Jalisco
- Guanajuato
- Michiacán
- Nayarit, or
- Tamaulipas
The labelling of tequila is protected by Denomination of Origin Tequila (DOT). Anything made outside of these areas MUST be labeled as ‘Agave Liquor’ or similar.
Which tequila should I use in a margarita?
This really depends on your taste but if you want to really get the agave flavour shining though then a younger tequila is best. Tequilas, like a blanco or silver, have been aged in oak for a short time (up to two months) so they will give you a purer agave flavour.
Other varieties are aged for much longer, giving them a golden colour and more complex flavour with hints of vanilla, caramel and spice. They usually cost a bit more for the trouble. Reposado is typically aged up to a year in oak while an Añejo is aged between one to three years in oak giving it a smoother, more developed flavour profile. Both are totally fine to use in a margarita but you will change the flavour of things slightly choosing one over the other.
Our suggestion? Try a few types of tequila. There is no right or wrong and most of the time it comes down to personal preference. For the brave, nothing beats a top notch tequila straight or over ice with a slice of lime.
Our top tequila picks for margaritas:
El Jimador Añejo and Reposado
An affordable and beautifully finished tequila. You get solid bang for your buck with El Jimador. Pure agave notes and a spicy, oaky finish. The flavours are a little more complex in the Reposado due to a longer aging process, so if you don’t mind spending the additional coin, this is a brilliant entry level aged tequila that won’t disappoint.
Casamingos Blanco
Crisp and clean with hints of citrus, vanilla and sweet agave. It pairs well with blood oranges which are not as sweet as navels, and offers a smooth and refined kick to your margaritas.
Teremana Blanco.
Teremana is a premium, small batch tequila made in Jalisco, Mexico. It’s a smoother finish with hints of green pepper and a pure agave. If you don’t mind spending a little bit more then it’s worth the investment. Afterall, it’s part owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and there’s not much he doesn’t do well.
Our top Triple Sec picks for margaritas:
Triple Sec is a type of intense citrus-flavoured liqueur. Although you don’t have to add it to your margarita, it is a great way to push the citrus base and general sweetness of your margarita.
Cointreau
By far the most popular brand of Triple Sec. Cointreau is French and is made from bitter sweet orange peels giving it an intense orange flavour.
Luxardo
Luxardo is an Italian brand of triple sec that is made from tangerines so the flavour profile is a little more more zesty or lemony.
Our favourite margarita recipes
The Classic
Tried and true. You can’t go wrong with this recipe. It’s everything you’d expect from a classic. Salty, sweet and just the right amount of kick.
What you’ll need:
- 45ml tequila (preferably blanco)
- 30ml Cointreau
15ml Agave nectar (or sugar syrup) - 60ml Fresh Lime Juice (or lemon)
Prepare your cocktail glass by dipping part or all of the rim in juice then dip the rim of your glass into the salt until it sticks. The amount of salt is up to your liking. Set your prepared glass aside.
Fill your shaker with ice and add all ingredients. Replace the shaker lid and shake until the cocktail shaker appears frosty in your hands. Strain your cocktail into the prepared glass and garnish with lime or lemon.
Cara Cara Margarita
When in season, Cara Cara navels are sweet and juicy with a gorgeously pink flesh. You won’t see a dramatically pink hue in your margarita but your margarita will taste slightly sweeter than the classic.
What you’ll need:
- 30ml El Jimador tequila,
- 15ml Cointreau triple sec
- 30ml fresh lime juice
- 60ml fresh Cara Cara orange juice
- Ice
- Cocktail shaker
- Shaved Himalayan pink salt
Prepare your cocktail glass by dipping part or all of the rim in juice then dip the rim of your glass into the salt until it sticks. The amount of salt is up to your liking. Set your prepared glass aside.
Fill your shaker with ice and add all ingredients. Replace the shaker lid and shake until the cocktail shaker appears frosty in your hands. Strain your cocktail into the prepared glass and garnish with fresh or dehydrated citrus.
“Cold Blooded” Margarita
Blood oranges are not as sweet as a navel but they definitely not as sour as a grapefruit. They’re somewhere in between. This makes them perfect for a margarita in terms of flavour and beautiful in presentation due to the deep red colour of the juice. This recipe is one the Dracula Citrus™ team uses regularly at events to showcase our delicious Aussie bloods. Give it a go at your next party. It’s a winner.
What you’ll need:
- 30ml El Jimador Añejo
- 15ml Luxardo Triplum triple sec
- 15ml fresh lime juice
- 20ml Bickfords lemon juice cordial
- 30ml fresh blood orange juice
- Glass
- Ice
- 1 tsp salt
- 5ml lime juice (or lemon)
Prepare your cocktail glass by dipping part or all of the rim in juice then dip the rim of your glass into the salt until it sticks. The amount of salt is up to your liking. Set your prepared glass aside.
Fill your shaker with ice and add all ingredients. Replace the shaker lid and shake until the cocktail shaker appears frosty in your hands. Strain your cocktail into the prepared glass and garnish with fresh or dehydrated citrus.
Jalapeno Margarita
This margarita will leave a tingle on the tongue and a smile on the dial. A twist on the classic that delivers a kick of heat, this margarita pairs well with a bowl of corn chips with fresh guacamole or spicy queso dip.
What you’ll need:
- 45ml tequila (preferably a blanco)
- 30ml Cointreau
15ml Agave nectar (or sugar syrup) - 60ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 10ml vinegar from jalapeno jar
- 4 x pickled jalapeno segments
- 1 tbs Tajin or chilli salt
- Ice
Prepare your cocktail glass by dipping part or all of the rim in juice then dip the rim of your glass into the salt until it sticks. The amount of salt is up to your liking. Set your prepared glass aside.
Fill your shaker with ice and add all ingredients. Replace the shaker lid and shake until the cocktail shaker appears frosty in your hands. Strain your cocktail into the prepared glass and garnish with fresh or pickled jalapenos.
Whether you like the classic, the bold (and blood-red), or with a spicy jalapeño kick, one thing’s clear… citrus is the soul of this cocktail. At Dracula Citrus™, the margarita is a celebration of what fresh, flavour-packed citrus can do. With the right tequila, a good squeeze of seasonal citrus, and a few of our helpful hints, you’ve got everything you need to shake up something magical.
