Hosting at home
5 tequila cocktails to serve, sip and savour
Ah, tequila, tequila. The spirit once known as the drink you ordered on a night out when it was time for a round of shots.
Now, more than ever, the agave spirit is celebrated for its endless versatility and is enjoyed as a premium sipping spirit or in a classic cocktail.
Karina Sánchez Huitrón, our tequila connoisseur, shares her favourite cocktails using different Don Julio Tequila types that can be easily recreated at home. All you need are a few ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboards. No lick of salt required.
And the cocktails are...
01.
Don Limonada
Fresh lemon meets the taste of sweet agave. If you're looking for a simple serve where tequila takes centre stage, this is it.
INGREDIENTS
15ml agave syrup
1 lemon cut into pieces
50ml sparkling water
A small handful of mint
GARNISH
Fresh mint
METHOD
Add ingredients to a shaker. Muddle and then add ice and shake. Pour into a rocks glass and top up with sparkling water. Garnish with a mint sprig.
02.
Don Old Fashioned
A unique Mexican take on an iconic cocktail, the Añejo Old Fashioned is guaranteed to create a stir with your guests. From the notes of dried fruit and vanilla in the tequila to the aromatic spice of the bitters, it's packed with the warm flavours of chiller seasons.
INGREDIENTS
1tsp simple syrup
2 dashes of grapefruit bitters
GARNISH
Orange peel
METHOD
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass over ice. Stir until thoroughly chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a large-format ice cube. Garnish with an orange peel.
03.
Don Reposado Paloma
This one's for your tequila-loving friends who prefer their tequila aged. The Reposado Paloma combines tequila with sour citrus and a drop of sweet agave nectar for a delicious tasting cocktail.
INGREDIENTS
50ml Don Julio Reposado Tequila
30ml grapefruit juice
15ml lemon juice
15ml agave honey
Grapefruit soda
Salt, sugar & house-ground chilli
2 large ice cubes
GARNISH
Coriander leaves and grapefruit
METHOD
Combine the tequila, lemon juice, and salt in a cocktail shaker. Shake well and then strain into a tall glass. Add ice, top off with grapefruit soda, and stir. Garnish with grapefruit and coriander.
04.
Don Repo Margarita
The tequila cocktail above all tequila cocktails meets the Don Julio Reposado. An easy to make tequila drink to sip on with friends.
INGREDIENTS
50ml Don Julio Reposado Tequila
20ml lime
20ml homemade curaçao*
10ml agave syrup
Finely crushed chilli flakes
* To make a curaçao take 1 part orange liqueur, 1 part agave syrup and blend together.
GARNISH
Lime wheel
METHOD
Prepare a rocks glass with a crushed chilli flake rim. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake well. Strain into glass over fresh ice and garnish with a lime wheel.
05.
Tequila Sunrise
Recipes change, cocktails trends come and go, but classic cocktails never go out of style. The Tequila Sunrise is one of those. The name 'sunrise' refers to the bright colours of the cocktail. It's a simple yet delicious sip that can be served on any occasion—especially great as an aperitif but equally as good as in the evening as an after-dinner sip.
INGREDIENTS
110ml orange juice
10ml cranberry juice
GARNISH
1 wedge of orange
METHOD
Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Pour Don Julio Blanco Tequila, orange juice and cranberry juice into the glass. Using a jigger, measure 50ml Don Julio Blanco Tequila, 110ml orange juice and 10ml cranberry juice into the glass. Don't forget the garnish. Cut a wedge of orange with a sharp knife on a cutting board and place it on top of your Tequila Sunrise. Enjoy!