RFI: Classic Margarita Recipe/Proportions

[Guerrero]

The wife and I recently acquired some higher-end tequila (Califino silver, reposado, anejo, and extra anejo), so I also bought some Cointreau and some fresh limes to make classic Margaritas.

My first attempt was an unmitigated disaster. The recipe I used was:

2 oz. tequila (I used the Califino anejo)
1/2 oz. triple sec (Cointreau)
1 1/2 oz. lime juice

put in a shaker with ice, shake, strain into salt-rimmed glass.

It was awful.

Anyone have a good recipe?

[Jac]

That’s a lot of lime... Start with a 3-2-1 ratio, tequila-liqueur-lime, and try the silver or repasado; anejos are better for sipping neat, or old fashioneds.

[sabasarge]

The wife and I recently acquired some higher-end tequila (Califino silver, reposado, anejo, and extra anejo), so I also bought some Cointreau and some fresh limes to make classic Margaritas.

My first attempt was an unmitigated disaster. The recipe I used was:

2 oz. tequila (I used the Califino anejo)
1/2 oz. triple sec (Cointreau)
1 1/2 oz. lime juice

put in a shaker with ice, shake, strain into salt-rimmed glass.

It was awful.

Anyone have a good recipe?

From my days as a bartender.....double your Cointreau, juice of two limes, forget the shaker and put all contents in a glass (salt-rimmed or not) filled with ice.

[Trigger]

My current favorite is 2-3oz. Espolon Anejo and a few cubes of ice. Leave the Cointreau and limes in the cabinet. Sip and enjoy.

[RoyGBiv]

FWIW, if I'm adding a lot of mixers to a drink, I typically use the lower-end spirit.
If you enjoy the anejo and x-anejo straight or OTR, it's overkill to use them in a cocktail.
I don't find they improve a mixed cocktail noticeably, over using a silver or reposado.

Wife and Daughter enjoy Margaritas with Cazadores. I'm happy to pay the extra $1.00 at TotalWine to upgrade from Silver to Reposado, but another $6 to go up to anejo is a pass. YMMV, of course.

I use a 2.5:1:1 (tequila:lime:triple sec/Cointreau) mix if using fresh lime juice.
Add some Agave syrup if you like it sweeter. Add more lime juice if you like it more tart.

Tips from Cazadores: https://www.cazadores.com/our-margarita/

USE BLANCO OR REPO
Tequila selection in a margarita depends on personal preference but feel comfortable using Blanco or Reposado. Use Blanco for powerful citrus and agave flavors or Reposado for mellow woody and spicy flavors.

And Jose says 2:1:1 as well. https://cuervo.com/cocktail-recipes/cuervo-margarita/

If making frozen (Daughter has a machine) I find the Jose mix works great, just add tequila, ice and whirr.

[GearFondler]

I'm a lazy redneck so I use the Cuervo mix...

3 shots mix
2 shots good Tequila
1 shot Grand Marnier
1 squeezed lime wedge

Mix well in shaker of ice and pour.

[Elwin]

The 3-2-1 ratio makes a damn good drink. It’ll knock you on your ass though, being a dangerous combination of 1) lots of booze and 2) super tasty and easy drinking. I’d start with that or maybe a 2.5-2-1 and adjust from there based on what you think it needs less or more of.

Other than that, I’d second sticking with the blanco and repasado, and also make sure you’re using quality ice and shaking vigorously and thoroughly. There should be condensation on the outside of the shaker, and you should get there by shaking basically as hard and fast as you can without breaking things.

Edit - I’m of the opinion that not only are anejo tequilas (and delicious old oaky whiskies or aged rums) not worth the price increase if you’re mixing, but in most drinks they are actually worse ingredients than their younger siblings. You need some fresh, bright qualities to cut through the other ingredients. I think anejo makes a bad marg, just like I think daiquiris call for white rum and Elijah Craig is the most high end bourbon that makes a good manhattan.

[RoyGBiv]

also make sure you’re using quality ice

Excellent reminder! The ice my fridge makes from city water can ruin a good drink. It's not very appetizing to look in the bottom of my inside freezer and see the rusty deposits left by wayward city cubes that sublimated there. Not hard to imagine how that would affect taste.

My garage fridge has the usual ice maker in the freezer side. I keep it filled with bagged ice from the supermarket and can use the dispenser to make crushed or just grab cubes from inside the door.

[littlejerry]

You can also use agave nectar in place of Cointreau(at a different ratio... Dont add 2 oz of the stuff). Most grocery stores around here carry it.

If the 3-2-1 ratio is too much booze I have a friend that cuts it with club soda.

I'm a fan of Espolon Reposado. It's good enough I reach for it more than bourbon these days.

[Jim Watson]

I don't make Margaritas but I visit friends who do and their approach is like GearFondler's, although I don't know the proportions.
The friend who visits me for a drink has taken a liking to gin and tonic after a spell with the elaborate Negroni.