Tequila Cocktails

26 recipes, page 1 of 2

This Field Manual holds 26 recipes built on agave: 19 tequila and 7 mezcal. Both are made from agave, but in a glass the difference is smoke.

Tequila is steamed, which keeps the agave clean and vegetal, and it is what a margarita and a paloma are built around. Mezcal is roasted in a pit, and the smoke that comes with it will take over a drink built for tequila unless the recipe expects it. Swapping one for the other is not a substitution, it is a different drink. A blanco keeps the agave forward where a reposado puts oak in front of it.

Base Spirit

Difficulty Level

21st Century

The 21st Century is 60ml of blanco tequila, 22.5ml of fresh lemon juice and 22.5ml of white crème de cacao, shaken hard with ice for 10 to 12 seconds and double strained into a

Añejo Old Fashioned

An Añejo Old Fashioned is 60ml of añejo tequila, 7.5ml of agave syrup and two dashes of mole bitters, poured over one large cube in a rocks glass and stirred there for 15 to 20

Batanga

A Batanga is 50ml of blanco tequila and 120ml of cola over ice in a highball with half the rim salted, with half a lime squeezed in and its shell dropped after it, stirred once.

Cantaritos

Cantaritos is 50ml of blanco tequila with 30ml of fresh orange juice, 15ml of fresh lime juice and 30ml of fresh grapefruit juice, built over ice in a soaked clay cup with half

Division Bell

A Division Bell is 30ml of mezcal, 22.5ml of Aperol, 15ml of maraschino liqueur and 22.5ml of fresh lime juice, shaken hard for 10 to 12 seconds and double strained into a chilled

El Diablo

El Diablo is 45ml of blanco tequila, 15ml of crème de cassis and 15ml of fresh lime juice, stirred over ice in a highball and topped with 90ml of chilled ginger beer, with the

Grand Margarita

A Grand Margarita is 45ml blanco tequila, 30ml Grand Marnier and 15ml fresh lime juice, shaken hard and strained over fresh ice in a rocks glass rimmed with sea salt, with a lime

Illegal

The Illegal is 30ml of espadín mezcal, 15ml of Jamaican overproof white rum, 15ml of falernum, a bar spoon of maraschino, 22.5ml of fresh lime juice and 15ml of simple syrup, with

Margarita

A Margarita is 50ml of 100% agave blanco tequila, 20ml of triple sec and 15ml of fresh lime juice, shaken hard for 10 to 12 seconds and double strained into a chilled coupe with

Mexican Firing Squad

A Mexican Firing Squad is 50ml of blanco tequila, 25ml of fresh lime juice, 15ml of pomegranate grenadine and two dashes of Angostura bitters, shaken hard for 10 to 12 seconds and

Mexican Mule

A Mexican Mule is 50ml of blanco tequila and 15ml of fresh lime juice in a copper mug or highball packed with ice, finished with 120ml of chilled ginger beer, one gentle stir and

Mezcal Margarita

A Mezcal Margarita is 60ml of joven espadín mezcal, 30ml of fresh lime juice and 15ml of agave syrup straight from the bottle, shaken hard for 10 to 12 seconds and strained over

Mezcal Negroni

A Mezcal Negroni is 30ml each of mezcal, Campari and sweet vermouth, stirred with ice for 20 to 30 seconds and strained over fresh ice in a rocks glass, with an orange peel

Naked and Famous

A Naked and Famous is 22.5ml each of mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, Aperol and fresh lime juice, shaken hard for 10 to 12 seconds and double strained into a chilled coupe, with no

Oaxacan Old Fashioned

An Oaxacan Old Fashioned is 45ml of reposado tequila, 15ml of mezcal, 5ml of agave syrup and two dashes of Angostura bitters, built in a rocks glass over one large ice cube and

Paloma

A Paloma is 50ml of blanco tequila, 5ml of fresh lime juice and a pinch of salt over ice in a highball, topped with 100ml of pink grapefruit soda and stirred gently once. Those

Passion Fruit Margarita

A Passion Fruit Margarita is 50ml of blanco tequila, the pulp of one ripe passion fruit, 15ml of passion fruit syrup, 10ml of triple sec and 15ml of fresh lime juice, shaken hard

Picante de la Casa

A Picante de la Casa is 50ml reposado tequila, 25ml fresh lime juice and 20ml agave nectar, shaken hard with a small piece of red chilli pressed in the tin and ten coriander

Rosita

A Rosita is 45ml of reposado tequila, 22.5ml of Campari, 15ml each of sweet and dry vermouth and a dash of Angostura, stirred for 20 to 30 seconds and strained over one large cube

Silk Stocking

A Silk Stocking is 45ml of blanco tequila, 22.5ml of white crème de cacao, 22.5ml of single cream and 10ml of grenadine, shaken hard for 10 to 12 seconds and double strained into

Spicy Margarita

A Spicy Margarita is 60ml of blanco tequila, 30ml of fresh lime juice and 15ml of agave syrup, shaken hard for 10 to 12 seconds with three slices of jalapeño muddled in the tin,

Strawberry Margarita

A Strawberry Margarita is 50ml of blanco tequila, five hulled ripe strawberries, 20ml of fresh lime juice, 10ml of triple sec and 10ml of sugar syrup, blended with a cupful of

Tequila Ceremony

The Tequila Ceremony is a way of taking a shot of tequila rather than a cocktail: the salt-and-lime routine known as tequila cruda, or lick-sip-suck. Lick the back of your hand

Tequila Sunrise

A Tequila Sunrise is 45ml of blanco tequila and 90ml of fresh orange juice over ice in a highball, with 15ml of grenadine added last, which sinks and shades the glass from red to

All cocktails