Discover Tequila and Making Tequila-Based Cocktails

Tequila is Mexico’s National Drink, and one of the icons synonymous with Mexico.

The spirit is distilled in just a small handful of locations in Mexico; it is tightly regulated to ensure quality and enjoyed by Mexicans and exported worldwide.

How Tequila is made

Tequila is distilled from the Blue Agave (ah-gah-veh) plant. As the story goes, back in the days of the Conquest, wine and brandy were in short supply, so the Spanish ordered that the Agave be processed and distilled to create alcohol. The plant is grown primarily in the state of Jalisco, with additional plantations also present in Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit and Tamaulipas, although all tequila production takes place in the state of Jalisco. Tequila can be enjoyed straight or with a wide variety of mixers – see below for cocktail recipes.

See also: The difference between Tequila, Mezcal and Pulque

Tequila Cocktail Recipes – Different Ways to Enjoy Tequila

Tequila Sunrise

Ingredients: 1.75 Parts Tequila, 0.5 Parts Grenadine, 2 Ice Cubes, Crushed ice, fresh Orange Juice.

Method: Place the Tequila and orange juice in a cocktail mixer with all the crushed ice and shake thoroughly. Pour mixture into a glass with the ice cubes already in it. Slowly add the grenadine, allowing for it to rise. Stir well before drinking for best taste.

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Tequila Bull

Ingredients: Tequila, half a glass of light beer, lemonade (not diet).

Method: Pour the tequila, cold, light beer and a small amount of cold lemonade into your favorite glass, and enjoy. Very refreshing on a hot day!

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Tequila Turncoat

Ingredients: Tequila, Cola drink, mineral water, lime, 2 ice cubes.

Method: Pour the tequila into a glass over the ice, add the juice of half a lime and a splash of mineral water. Fill to taste with the Cola drink, stir and enjoy!

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Tequila Sour

Ingredients: Tequila, Lemon Juice, Natural Syrup, slice of lime, red cherry.

Method: Place 2 parts Tequila in cocktail mixer along with 0.5 parts of lemon juice and 2 Tb Sp of natural syrup. Shake well. Pour into a short glass, and garnish with a slice of lime and a red cherry.

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Tequila Cockroach

Ingredients: 1.5 Parts Tequila to 1 Part of Kahlúa.

Method: This drink combines the two great Mexican classics of Tequila and Kahlúa. Pour the tequila and Kahlúa into a glass, and (optionally) set on fire with a lighter for additional effect. When the flame has gone, this can be enjoyed slowly, on its own or as an after dinner liqueur.

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Tequila Giraffe

Ingredients: Tequila, grapefruit juice, 2 ice cubes.

Method: Pour the Tequila into a tall glass and followed by the two ice cubes. Swirl the two around in the glass for a time (note: do not stir), and then add grapefruit juice to taste.

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The Margarita

Ingredients: Tequila, Cointreau, Fresh Lime (or Lemon could be used) Juice, a lime, crushed ice and salt.

Method: An American favorite, the margarita is the most commercial and most popular of all tequila mixes. The original Margarita is made with lime juice, and although lemon juice can be used as a substitute, most connoisseurs agree that lime juice is the best choice. Before you intend to serve this drink, place some glasses in the freezer and allow them to frost over. Moisten the rim of the glass with the juice from the lime, turn up-side-down and place gently on a bed of salt (for the classic ‘salted rim’). Place the tequila, Cointreau, lime/lemon juice and crushed ice into a cocktail mixer and shake well. Pour your mix into the glass. while avoiding the salted rim. Serve immediately.

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Tequila & Cola

Ingredients: Tequila, fresh lime juice (squeezed from 1 average-sized lime), cola drink, ice cubes.

Method: Pour the Tequila into a tall glass, followed by the fresh lime juice. Place the ice on top and swirl in the glass. Now add cola drink to taste.

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Tequila & Vermouth

Ingredients: 2 Part Tequila, 1 Part Triple Sec, 1 Part Dry Vermouth, Lime, crushed ice.

Method: Pour the tequila, triple sec and dry vermouth into a cocktail mixer. Squeeze in the juice from a lime, and add the crushed ice. Shake vigorously. Ideally served in a champagne glass, garnished with a slice of lime on the side.

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Tequila Fizz

Ingredients: 5 Parts Tequila, 3 Parts fresh lemon juice, natural maple syrup, egg white, lime, 2 ice cubes.

Method: Pour tequila, lemon juice, 2 Tbsp of natural maple syrup, egg white (1 egg), and the juice of the lime and the 2 ice cubes into a cocktail mixer and shake very well. Pour the mix into a tall glass, and garnish with a slice of lime.

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Sweet Tequila

Ingredients: Tequila, Aniseed (e.g. Pernot)

Method: Mix tequila and aniseed gently and pour into a cognac glass to enjoy.

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Tequila Submarine

Ingredients: Tequila, Light Beer (a Mexican light beer is best)

Method: Ensure that the beer is ICE COLD. Place the Tequila in a medium glass, tilt and pour the beer in very slowly. Serve immediately.

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Pineapple & Tequila

Ingredients: 1.25 Parts Tequila, 2 parts Pineapple Juice, 1 Part lemon Juice (fresh if possible), 0.25 Parts Grenadine, crushed ice.

Method: Pour all ingredients into a cocktail mixer. Shake very well, and serve in tall glass.

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Dry Tequila

Ingredients: Tequila, Dry Vermouth, Grenadine, 2 ice cubes.

Method: Pour the Tequila, Vermouth and Grenadine into a glass and stir. Add the two ice cubes; garnish with lime or orange slice. Serve immediately.

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Tequila Tonic

Ingredients: Tequila, Quinine (Indian Tonic Water), 1 ice cube, the peel of 1 lime

Method: Wash a lime thoroughly, and finely grate the outside. Mix the Tequila and Quinine in a glass with the ice. Now introduce the lime peel and stir well.

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Tequila Cocktail

Ingredients: 4 Parts Tequila, Juice from a lime (fresh), 2 Parts Grenadine, 2 ice cubes, a slice of lime.

Method: Pour the Tequila, Grenadine into a cocktail mixer.  Squeeze the juice from 1 lime into the mix. Add the ice cubes. Shake thoroughly. Pour mixture into a cocktail glass (leave the ice cubes behind). Garnish the rim with a slice of lime and serve immediately

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Turbo Tequila

Ingredients: Tequila, Vodka, and a fresh fruit juice (or tropical fruit juice mix) of your preference, ice

Method: Pour the Tequila, Vodka and some fruit juice (to taste / dilute) into a cocktail mixer; add the crushed ice and shake vigorously. Pour into a tall glass; serve immediately.

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Tequila Slammer / “Moppets”

Ingredients: Tequila, Fizzy Lemonade or Champagne.

Method: Probably the most famous of all “slamming” drinks, this is the tequila classic! For best results, you should buy the lemonade in cans, to ensure maximum fizz. Pour some tequila and lemonade into a tequila shot glass, leaving about a fifth of the glass unfilled. Cover the top of the glass with your bare palm, (or a cloth serviette under your palm). Raise the glass above the table, “slam” the glass down (not too hard else you’ll break it!). This action will mix the two ingredients, and create a massive fizz in the glass. The art now is to drink the entire contents of the shot glass, in one gulp!

Use of Champagne makes a good alternative to lemonade, and is known as the “Slammer Royale”

You can also practice the salt and lime routine with this, if you want to. See Tequila Straight, below…

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Tequila Straight

Ingredients: Tequila, Lime, Salt (tomato juice optional)

Method: For straight Tequila, it’s best to choose the gold-colored tequila, instead of the clear. It has a smoother, more mellow and richer taste when enjoyed on its own. The tequila should be served in a small tequila shot glass… A fresh lime, sliced into quarters and sea salt should be on the table. You can also have a tequila shot glass filled with tomato juice if you like. This is how you drink it: Lick the back of your hand, the area just above the thumb. Pour some salt on the wet area, so it sticks. Lick the salt off your hand, and immediately follow through with a drink of the Tequila (all of it, or just some – your choice) – then bite in a lime quarter, which you will have grasped between your finger and thumb on the same hand with the salt. If you have tomato juice on the table, now is the time to enjoy some of it, before you repeat the process!

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Tequila Furnace

Ingredients: Tequila, Tabasco sauce, lime, salt.

Method: Pour tequila into a shot glass. Add between 3 and 6 drops of Tabasco sauce and gently stir. Lick some salt off your hand (see Tequila Straight – above) – down the tequila and bit the lime. Now prepare to breath fire! (Not for the feint throated!).

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Learn more about Mexican drinks and beverages

Mexperience publishes guides and articles to help you discover Mexico’s drinks and beverages including beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages.

• The Mexican Bar—discover Mexico’s alcoholic drinks & cocktails
• Discover and explore Mexican beers
• Mexico gave chocolate to the world
• Mexico grows fine coffees
• Learn more about drinks and beverages in Mexico