Inspired by the “high-end” tequila bars, I’ve tweaked my margarita recipe to have a different balance. This is more work, but I think it makes a pretty damn good drink.
Margarita
| 2 | oz. tequila |
| 1 | oz. Patron Citronge (orange liqueur) |
| 1 | oz. fresh lime juice |
| ½ | oz. lemon syrup |
Shake with plenty of ice. Serve over crushed ice, no salt.
The big difference between this and the previous recipe is the fresh lime juice. I’m convinced, finally—as much as I love key lime juice, you can only get it as concentrate, and it’s better to have fresh “normal” limes. (You want it as pulp-free as possible, though.)
Why Patron Citronge? My original thought was, “Hey, it’s from a tequila company, so it’s probably going to work with margaritas.” (Use the Citronge and a splash of orange curacao for a Cadillac-style margarita.)
The lemon-flavored simple syrup is (as far as I’ve been able to tell so far) a unique part of this recipe. I’m using one from Sonoma Syrup, but I suspect the much cheaper Torani or Monin syrup would work just fine. I’ve also tried it with a full ounce, but that seems to make the flavor a little “thick” without making it appreciably sweeter.
One thing about this recipe: it doesn’t hide the flavor of the tequila at all, which means the tequila better not suck. Personally, I’d recommend 100% agave reposado. I’ve tried Cabo Wabo Reposado, El Jimador Blanco and Jose Cuervo Reposado Tradicional; out of those, the Cabo Wabo is the best, but also the most expensive. (Surprisingly, at least to me, the El Jimador is better than the Cuervo, even though that’s not the cheap Cuervo.)
Update • One other thing about this recipe: the drink is rather strong. Whee! Work is gonna suck tomorrow morning.
