Mezcal & Tequila
3 high-end Tequila cocktail recipes that celebrate the very best of Mexico’s global reach
Sep
Super-premium tequilas are all the rage, and while they are perfect for sipping, they make an excellent base for a tequila cocktail, too
Tequila continues to grab headlines all over the world as Mexico’s most famous spirit gathers more fans than ever. The super-premium end of the market is also super-accessible with the finest tequilas now edging out entry-level pours as fans become better educated and choose flavour over alcohol level.
Cocktail bars, too, represent a natural home for high-end tequila. Here are three of our favourite brands and the tequila cocktail their makers recommend.
FORTALEZA BLANCO
Fortaleza is such a popular pour among tequila aficionados that considering it as a base for a cocktail might be judged as a terrible waste of an excellent sipping tequila. Its delicate notes of vanilla, citrus and roasted agave bring fans back again and again, and, as you move through the age statements, the flavours of this traditional tequila only strengthen.
Still being made in the town of Tequila, where it was first created many decades ago, Fortaleza is now owned by entrepreneur and tequila champion Guillermo Erickson Sauza. Tequila production is strictly controlled at the tiny distillery, and despite its popularity, it is still bottled in relatively small numbers.
To honour this terrific tequila, its makers recommend a gentle partnership of grapefruit, soda and lime to complement and enhance the natural citrus elements of Fortaleza. The Paloma is a classic long drink that celebrates freshness and flavour while holding the heart of the tequila personality close.
The Paloma Tequila Cocktail
You’ll need:
50ml Fortaleza Blanco
70ml pink grapefruit juice
15ml agave syrup
10ml lime juice
soda water
Ice
Method: Simply drop the Fortaleza, agave syrup, lime and grapefruit juice into a shaker with ice and combine. Serve in a tall glass with additional ice and top up with soda water.
DON JULIO 1942
Signature Serve
The people behind Don Julio 1942 recommend a single signature recipe on their site, and it’s incredibly easy. It has one ingredient: 45mls of Don Julio 1942. That’s it. No mixer, flavour enhancer or salty edge. Just a simple pour of one of the most iconic tequilas on the market.
Every pour of Don Julio 1942 has been matured for at least 2.5 years and made in strictly-controlled small batches. The silhouette of its tall, elegant bottle graces the shelves of the very best bars in the world and is held in incredibly high esteem.
The 1942 of the bottle’s name refers to the year that 17-year-old Don Julio González-Frausto Estrada began distilling tequila. Diageo is the proud owner of the Don Julio brand today, in a deal that famously saw Jose Cuervo exit the brand in return for ownership of the Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland.
Tequila and Mezcal
€65.04 (Ex. VAT)
PATRON REPOSADA
When Bacardi bought Patrón in 2018 for a deal reported to be worth $5.1 billion, the drinks conglomerate immediately positioned the tequila brand in a premium setting. Bottles were numbered, high-end vodka fans were targeted, and advertising for this now exclusive pour was vastly increased.
Patrón now finds itself at the heart of global tequila culture, with a young image and ever-increasing value. The Reposada release is aged for at least four months in a combination of American, French and Hungarian oak barrels to bring out its natural roasted agave flavour profile. Complex and rich, you’ll discover deep notes of vanilla, honey and lots of oak.
Patrón recommends its classic margherita to celebrate this terrific tequila, allowing the flavours of orange and lime to enhance the agave profile of its perfectly-aged tequila.
The Patrón Margarita Tequila Cocktail
You’ll need:
45ml Patrón Reposado
30ml Orange liqueur
22.5ml Fresh lime juice
7.5ml Simple syrup, to taste
Method: Combine the ingredients in a shaker with ice and pour into a coupe glass.
Click here to view our full tequila and mezcal collection
