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David Grimm
The Margarita: A mixology how-to for National Tequila Day
The latest in our mixology series is an all-time cocktail favorite. Here's how to make one like you're Tom Cruise in 'Cocktail.'
We’ve been doing cocktail posts all year at Mulberry MAX, but we’re just now getting around to a Cocktail Hall of Famer: The Margarita.
The delay raises a question: What were we thinking?
Maybe we were saving it for National Tequila Day, which is now upon us (July 24). So, without further procrastination, here’s the latest in our Cocktail Basics series, taking on the Margarita and all its many wonderful facets and variations.
We loooove a good Margarita at Mulberry MAX, so consider us your best Fort Collins source for ingredients, ready-to-drink options, mixology advice and anything else associated with this fabulous cocktail.
The Margarita: A history full of tales that should probably go untold
The Margarita is a drink that’s somehow perfect for beach vacations, taco Tuesdays, poolside ragers and questionable life decisions. No one can agree exactly where it came from, but the stories are just as zesty as the cocktail.
One tale says the Margarita was invented in the 1930s by a Mexican bartender for a picky showgirl who only drank tequila but didn’t like it straight. Another claims a Dallas socialite named Margarita Sames mixed it up at her fancy Acapulco party in the ’40s, because of course she did. There’s even a theory that a Tijuana restaurant made it for Rita Hayworth.
Who really knows? Tequila has always had a flair for drama.
What we do know is this: the classic Margarita — tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur, shaken and served with a salted rim — has become a global icon. It’s simple, punchy and doesn’t apologize for its boldness. That salty-sour-sweet combo hits just right, whether it’s blended into a neon slushie or poured over fancy artisanal ice in a stemmed glass you’re trying not to spill.
The Margarita didn’t just ride the tequila wave — it made it. As tequila got better (and less like paint thinner), the Margarita kept up, evolving from cheap happy hour fuel to something bartenders actually geek out about. These days, you’ll find it dressed up with mezcal, infused syrups, chili salt rims and citrus you can’t pronounce. But at its heart, it’s still the same: just a wild little drink that refuses to be boring.
If you’re ready to add a chapter to your own Margarita history, let’s dive into how to make a good one.
The basic Margarita recipe: Decisions, decisions
Bartenders would probably tell you there’s no one Margarita recipe. Some people wanted it on the rocks, some blended, some with a salted rim, some with orange liqueur, some without. Here’s how we do it.
Ingredients
Salt to rim the glass (optional)
2 ounces blanco tequila
½ ounce orange liqueur
1 ounce lime juice, fresh if possible
½ ounce agave syrup
Whole lime, for salt rim and garnish
Instructions
Cut a lime in half and rub the cut side on the rim of your glass. Add salt to a bowl big enough to fit your glass, or use a packaged Margarita salt container, and invert your glass into the salt and give it a twist so some sticks to the rim. Tap the glass to knock off any excess salt, then add ice to the glass.
Add tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and agave syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously until the mixture is chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into the glass and garnish with a lime wheel.
Which tequila is best in a Margarita?
When it comes to margaritas, tequila experts almost universally (but not always) agree: Skip the mixto and reach for 100% agave. Mixto tequila is only required to contain 51% agave, with the remainder being additives such as corn syrup, cane sugar, artificial colorings and other dubious stuff.
The top pick for many bartenders is blanco (or silver) tequila — unaged, crisp, and full of pure agave flavor. It cuts through the citrus and sweetness of a margarita with a clean bite that doesn’t get lost in the mix. Brands like Don Julio, El Tesoro, Fortaleza and Espolòn often top the list for their balance, quality, and traditional production methods. They’re not the cheapest on the shelf, but they deliver that agave-forward character that makes a margarita sing.
Some mixologists do like a reposado tequila — aged a few months in oak — for a smoother, slightly richer take. It adds a little warmth and spice without overpowering the lime. Using an añejo would amplify those flavors even more.
But the key, no matter the style, is using 100% agave tequila. That’s the real stuff, not the additive-laden mixto that delivers mostly hangovers and regret. If you want a good margarita, your tequila should taste great on its own before it ever meets a shaker.
Margarita variations: Give it your own twist
The Margarita is such a riffable cocktail. We’re pretty sure the day after it was invented, someone splashed in some mezcal, floated Grand Marnier on top and rimmed it with chile powder, just because they could. We’ll touch on some variations but covering them all would end up looking like Margarita War and Peace.
Use these ideas to take things in your own direction:
Frozen Margarita — The leading cause of brain freezes worldwide.
Tommy’s Margarita — The culmination of the “orange liqueur or no” debate, has become a classic in its own right. Just skip the orange liqueur in the basic Margarita recipe and that’s it. It loses some of the sweetness and lets the tequila shine.
Cadillac Margarita — featuring a float of Grand Marnier on top, this goes in the opposite direction from Tommy’s with a bit of added sweetness. This has been a favorite in Mexican restaurants for decades.
Spicy Margarita — With the addition of a half ounce (or more!) of Ancho Reyes.
Smoky Margarita — Use an ounce each of tequila and Mezcal instead of just tequila.
Try different orange liqueurs — Cointreau is a Margarita standard, but there are many other producers making quality (and usually more affordable) orange liqueurs.
Spice up the rim — Tajin has become a go-to upgrade for the salt on the glass, but you can also mix up your own with various chile powders, smoked salts, black pepper and other ground spices.
Vary the fruit — Mix in pineapple juice, blood orange juice, mango juice, coconut juice or any obscure fruit elixir you want. Just be ready to add a little lime juice as needed to get that Margarita “zing.”
Infuse the tequila — Drop some fruit, chiles or whatever in a jar with tequila and refrigerate it for a few days. Taste it; it’s either ready for mixing or needs a few more days.
Blend in the fruit — For a blended margarita, use frozen fruit instead of the ice. Strawberries and mangos are a classic choice, but go with your favorite.
Keep it simple with a Margarita Mix — Add mix and tequila to a glass with ice. Stir. Garnish. Or don’t. Either way, you’ll still have a pretty good margarita in about 30 seconds.
There are so many directions you can go to give your basic Margarita a turn. Come to Mulberry MAX and tell us your favorite!
Or just get right to it with a ready-to-drink Margarita
Shakers, ingredients, mixers, blah blah blah. We get it. Sometimes you just want a Margarita NOW, or you’re on a boat or something. There are a lot of quality ready-to-drink Margaritas on our shelves. It’s almost like they invented the RTD category to facilitate Margarita consumption. Ask a MAX team member for help picking a good one.
Make Mulberry MAX your Margarita HQ in the Fort Collins area
If you need to load up on the ingredients for National Tequila Day or your next Margarita bash, look no further than Mulberry MAX. We’ve got shelves full of 100% agave tequilas and the other makings you need.
Thanks for reading our latest Cocktail Basics post. We’ll keep them coming so you can join our voyage deep into the world of fantastic cocktails. To always be up on the latest, follow us on Facebook, Instagram or our newsletter. Salud!
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Posted Aug 20, 2025
Created a series of posts on mixology for a liquor store blog. Signs in the store have a QR code that directs back to the post to drive engagement and sales.
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