Drink: The Perfect Margarita

By the time that this Blog has a few years under its belt (God willing), I wonder how many entries will have this exact same title?

The recipe included in this article comes from the July/August edition of Cigar Aficionado that I was (belatedly) sifting through this evening on the back porch. The article cites the conventional, simple version of the Margarita:

"Two parts Tequila, one part freshly squeezed lime juice and one part Cointreau is a trusty ratio, but feel free to experiment as different Tequilas call for variations. Put the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well and pour into a glass; ice is optional. To salt the rim of the glass, moisten it with water or lime, then dip it down onto a plate of sea salt."

Personally, I find that I am more attracted to Margarita recipes that also include Grand Marnier in addition to, or even as opposed to its orange-liquer relative, Cointreau.

Grand Marnier is a high-end orange flavored liqueur. It is made from Cognac flavored with the peel of bitter Haitian oranges, spices, and vanilla. About.com says that:

"Grand Marnier®'s origins date to 19th century France. Bitter orange peels are added to a cognac brandy base along with spices and vanilla. It is then sweetened with a sugar syrup to produce an orange-flavored liqueur and aged in oak barrels to mellow the liqueur before bottling. Grand Marnier® boasts of being the first liqueur to be exported from France. This liqueur is amber in color with a distinct orange flavor which lends itself to many cooking applications. There are a number of orange liqueur products on the market, including Cointreau®, which has an equally long history but is clear in color. "

The other piece of this article focuses on Tequila:

"Devotees of the spirit of the agave plant know that the variations between producers and grades of Tequila are as vast as they are with fine Bourbon, Scotch and rum. Just as superior Bourbon will produce a better Manhattan, premium Tequila makes for a great Margarita. The three grades of Tequila, defined by age, are Blanco (aged less than 60 days), Reposado (aged more than 60 days but less than one year) and Anejo (aged at least for one year)."

As an alternative to Cointreau and Grand Marnier, I would suggest using a new product recently released by Petron. It is a Petron Citron orange liqueur that is priced about 50% less than these other brand names and works just as well.

The article discusses nine high-end tequilas (in very short blurbs) that included Herradura Respado. Herradura Reposado, made by the third largest tequila maker in the world, is "rested" for 11 months in used oak barrels (the longest Respado in the industry), giving it a rich gold color and hot oaky finish. It is described as, "a silky smooth experience and can be enjoyed straight in a snifter or mixed in a premium cocktail."

The reason that this name registered with me was because I bought a bottle last August on our way back from Mexico that I hadn't opened yet. (...and I was very happy that I did when I started surfing the internet and found that the average cost of a bottle was around $50.) So, I promptly walked into the kitchen, cut some limes, and created an afternoon Margarita. After tasting the Herradura, I realize that I will be having quite a few more heading into the summer season.

Related Links:

1. Tequila Blog
2. Tequila-Stuff.com
3. About Tequila