Fresh jalapeño brings more than heat: it adds a green, almost bell pepper flavour that suits the grassy agave of a blanco tequila surprisingly well. The salt rim takes the edge off the burn, and the lime keeps everything sharp and cold.
1¾ oz
blanco tequila 100% agavee.g. Olmeca Altos · Patrón · Don Julio · Espolòn · El Jimador
¾ oz
Cointreau or another good triple secBuy on Amazon →
¾ oz
lime juice
¼ oz
agave syrup diluted 1:1 with water
3 slice
jalapeño fresh, sliced
Garnish: Salt rim, lime wheel · Ice: Ice cubes
Spicy Margarita
Bright lime and agave up front, then a building green chili warmth that lingers without burning. Sour, salty at the rim and medium strong.
The Spicy Margarita is a modern member of the Margarita family, which pairs tequila with lime and orange liqueur. Adding fresh chili or a chili-infused tequila became common in American cocktail bars in the 2000s and 2010s, and there is no reliable record of a single inventor. Today it is one of the most requested variations of the Margarita on bar menus.
The origins of the Margarita itself are disputed. Several bartenders and hosts in Mexico and the United States have been credited with it, and none of the stories can be proven. What is clear is that the drink follows the older pattern of the Daisy (spirit, citrus and orange liqueur), and "margarita" is the Spanish word for daisy.
Use fewer slices, remove the seeds and ribs, or just shake the jalapeño without muddling it.
You can use a pinch of chili flakes or a few dashes of chili tincture, but fresh jalapeño gives the typical green, fresh flavour.
Usually a rocks glass with ice and a salt rim; a chilled coupe without ice works too.
The perfect sound
Fiery jalapeño and a bold salted rim.
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