Mezcal-Tequila Margarita

Ypu don't need the syrup, just add a bit more Cointreau/

I made this for friends and they dubbed it the best margarita ever, so I’d highly recommend it. Only change I made is I used straight agave instead of simple syrup because I was too lazy to make simple syrup and didn’t want it warming up my ice haha. I just did the amount to taste, based on how tart or sweet each person wanted. Make these, it’s well worth the (minimal!) effort!

Made as directed, but added some jalapeño and muddled prior to pouring everything else in for a kick! Delicious and goes well with the mezcal. I would recommend 2-3 slices of muddled jalapeño per drink.

A good variation is to salt the glass with a mixture of Chipotle Pepper and salt, or some may prefer off-the-shelf "Tajin" seasoning. The smoky taste of the Chipotle goes well with the mezcal. I prefer to salt only half the rim. The rest usually goes to waste.

Omit the sweetener and add some sugar to the salt rim mixture. Agree with Oliver. Just round up to whole ounces or you are going to have to make more batches.

I like the proportions of this recipe, but honestly, let's just increase all the star players here to a full ounce, shall we? A marg made with 1.5 ounces of spirit just isn't enough. Personally, I use a cheaper version of Grand Mariner instead of Triple Sec for a more complex flavor and higher alcohol content. And I skip the simple syrup as I like a more tart, less sweet drink.

This is a great drink that I’ve been making for years. My only recommendation is to substitute agave syrup for the simple syrup. It compliments the agave based spirits flavor profile better than sugar. A little squeeze (about a tsp) or more depending on how tart or sweet you like it. Also the modern classic ratio is in full ounces. 2 spirit, 1 orange liquor, 1 lime juice.

Skip the liqueur and have a real margarita.

For tequila-based drinks, it makes little sense to insist on reposada (aged) tequila: the flavor will be masked by the other ingredients and, if not, what comes through will be the flavor of the oak barrel. Having tried some pricey artisinal mezcals, I found them less to my liking, and less like kerosene, than the old standby, Gusano Rojo. An easy substitute for worm salt is Tajin--salt with dried lime and chili, common in Mexico. There's enough worm flavor for most people in the mezcal.

I never made margaritas at home, and over the summer I made pitchers of this one after discovering just how much it’s really the mezcal for me. And here we are in December, and I’m coming back to this as my post-WFH cocktail of choice. I omit the salt because I was never a fan, but follow everything else to a tee. Poured in a freezer chilled martini glass, and it delightfully breaks me out of my day. Cheers!

Beautifully smoky margarita, perfect for summer sipping. Made exactly as written, including the sal de gusano.

Only had mint syrup on hand—a rare occurrence for me to not have simple syrup at the ready—but I think it added a hint of freshness to cut through a bit of the smokiness. Delicious drink, and hope to try it one day with the worm salt.

No Mescal in the liquor cabinet, but do have Sotol, which has a similar smokier flavor like mescal, only better I think.

Proportion is everything in cocktails. Try Phil Ward's Mayahuel Margarita: 2oz Mescal (Vida is great) 1oz Contreau .75oz Freshly. squeezed lime juice Shake hard. Double strain over large ice. Garnish with a lime Half rim with salt, Tajin spice or Gusano for special occasions

Isn’t this a “smoke and mirrors”?