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Classic Margarita

ClassicShaken5 Min Yield: 1 Cocktail
Classic Margarita

Three ingredients and nowhere to hide. A proper Margarita is bright, salty at the edges, and honest about its tequila. Fresh lime is the whole game here, so squeeze it yourself and shake it like you mean it.

Recipe Card

Ingredients

  • 2oz (60ml) blanco tequila, 100 percent agave
  • 1oz (30ml) Cointreau
  • 0.75oz (22ml) fresh lime juice
  • 0.25oz (7.5ml) agave syrup, optional
  • Coarse salt, for the rim
  • Lime wheel, for garnish
  • Plenty of fresh ice
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Method

  1. Run a lime wedge around half the rim of a rocks glass and roll that half in coarse salt. Fill the glass with fresh ice.
  2. Add tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and agave if using, to a shaker with ice.
  3. Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds until the shaker is frosty.
  4. Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with the lime wheel.

Tip: Bottled lime juice flattens this drink. Fresh juice, squeezed within the hour, is the single biggest upgrade you can make.

Variations

  • Spicy Margarita. Muddle two thin slices of jalapeno in the shaker before adding everything else. The heat sits at the back and the salt loves it.
  • Tommys Margarita. Skip the Cointreau and use half an ounce of agave syrup instead. The tequila steps fully into the spotlight.

Questions

Blanco or reposado?

Blanco is the classic call, bright and peppery. Reposado makes a rounder, softer drink. Both work, so use the bottle you reach for most.

Why shake a Margarita?

Shaking chills fast, adds the right dilution, and gives the drink its light, lively texture. Stirring would leave it flat and warm at the edges.