Sours · Tequila · IBA official
A lick of salt, then cold, sharp lime and the green, peppery bite of good tequila, rounded out by orange liqueur. A properly made Margarita is bright and balanced, nothing like the sugary slush it is often confused with.
1¾ oz
blanco tequila 100 percent agave
¾ oz
triple sec such as Cointreau
½ oz
lime juice
pinch of
salt for a half rim (optional)
Garnish: Half salt rim and lime wheel · Ice: Served up, no ice
Margarita
Tart, fresh and bright with orange sweetness, earthy agave and a salty edge. Medium to strong.
Nobody knows for certain who made the first Margarita, and several stories compete. One credits Carlos "Danny" Herrera, who is said to have created it in the late 1930s at his restaurant near Tijuana for a customer who could only drink tequila. Another names Margarita Sames, a Texas socialite who said she mixed it for guests in Acapulco in 1948. Other bartenders in Mexico and the United States have been named too.
Drinks historians often point out that "margarita" is Spanish for daisy, and the Daisy was an established family of spirit, citrus and orange liqueur drinks, so the Margarita may simply be a tequila Daisy. The IBA lists it among its contemporary classics.
The IBA uses 50 ml tequila, 20 ml triple sec and 15 ml lime juice. Many bars use 2 to 1 to 1.
A blanco made from 100 percent agave gives the freshest, most balanced result.
No, the salt rim is optional, but a little salt brightens the citrus and softens the bitterness.
The perfect sound
Salt rim, sunshine and good company.
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