It’s hot, and you want friends over for Margaritas, but you don’t want to be stranded behind a blender or a cutting board. No worries — we’ve got a plan to free up your hosting duties so you can join the party. Made with fresh lime juice, tequila, and orange-flavored liqueur, the classic Margarita gives you the perfect palette, ripe for experimentation.
As the host, you set the tone: Margarita bar, garnish bar, or both. From the tequila to the rim, there’s no shortage of ways to get creative with this crowd-pleasing cocktail. Consider this a step-by-step guide to celebrating summertime’s favorite tequila drink, one made even better in the company of good friends and sunshine.
Step 1: Start with a High-Quality Tequila
When it comes to Margaritas, tequila’s the star. As arguably the most essential component of a Margarita, choose a tequila that is made with quality ingredients and care, like Camarena — the most awarded tequila*. Every batch of Camarena Tequila is handcrafted in the Mexican Highlands with 100 percent Blue Weber Agave, resulting in a well-rounded and smooth taste.
Step 2: Decide Your Margarita Menu
Once you decide on the tequila flavor profile that will delight your guests, it’s time to explore recipes. Here, we’ve selected a few expert-approved formulas that help Camarena Tequila’s flavors shine.
Camarena Silver Cucumber Watermelon Margarita
Serve guests the unexpected with a Camarena Silver Cucumber Watermelon Margarita. Notes of toasted agave, fresh herbs, and vibrant citrus, with hints of vanilla present a different dimension of Margarita. Watermelon and cucumber add freshness, the perfect answer to sweltering summer days.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Camarena Silver
- ¾ ounce agave nectar
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ounce watermelon juice
- 2 cucumber slices
- Garnish: watermelon or cucumber slice
Directions:
- Muddle the cucumber in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Add the remaining ingredients, fill the shaker with ice, then shake.
- Strain the finished drink into a rocks glass with a salted rim. Add a slice of watermelon or cucumber to garnish.
Camarena Reposado Jalapeño Margarita
If your friends are always dousing their food with hot sauce, the Camarena Reposado Jalapeño Margarita will be a big hit. The subtle oaky notes in Camarena Reposado play nicely with the heat of the jalapeños. Say hello to your new favorite spicy Margarita.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Camarena Reposado
- 1 ounce agave syrup
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 jalapeño slices
- Chili salt
- Garnish: lime wheel
Directions:
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- Remove the seeds from jalapeño slices and gently muddle them in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Add the remaining ingredients and fill the shaker with ice.
- Shake and strain into a Margarita glass with a chili salt rim.
- Garnish with lime wheel.
Camarena Añejo Mango Margarita
For those who prefer not to stray too far from a classic, opt for the Camarena Añejo Mango Margarita, made with — you guessed it — mango juice. Camarena Añejo is the longest-aged tequila in the portfolio and offers aromas of toasted oak, nutmeg, baked apple, and citrus, as well as notes of cooked sweet potato and vanilla.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Camarena Añejo
- 1 ounce orange-flavored liqueur
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 2 ounces fresh mango juice
- Salt
- Garnish: mango slice
Directions:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, fill with ice, and shake.
- Strain into an ice-filled, rocks glass with salted rim.
- Garnish with mango slice.
Step 3: Get Creative with Rims & Garnishes
A garnish can help transform your Margarita from just a drink to an Instagram-worthy masterpiece. Lime wheels, orange slices, halved strawberries, and other fruits always make reliable garnishes. Don’t be afraid to think outside the produce aisle — candy, nuts, and even baking spices like cinnamon and nutmeg enhance certain Margaritas.
Salt highlights the fresh flavors in your Margarita and enhances the cocktail’s sweet and sour nature, taking guests’ drinks to the next level. While kosher or flaky sea salt usually garnishes the top of a glass, offering options gives guests more flavors to play with. Try swapping traditional salt for a smoky variety or adding a dash of your favorite herbs for a unique twist. Any local spice store will likely offer a few flavored salt options that are worth a look.
For guests who prefer sweet or savory over salty, additions like crushed rock candy, cocoa powder, coconut flakes, sprigs of fresh herbs, and more make for creative rim additions.
While it can be tempting to salt (or sugar) the entire rim of a glass, experts recommend salting only a segment and taking extra care to only salt the outside. Salting the entire rim can lead to excess falling into the glass, which can negatively impact the flavor of a drink. To avoid unwanted flavors finding their way into your drink, try moistening the outside of your glass with a wet paper towel before rolling it in a shallow saucer filled with the rim of choice.
Step 4: Stage Your Party
Where can your guests get a glass, pick a rim, and pour their Margarita? Setting up an assembly line of sorts will allow guests the space to collaborate while you make the rounds catching up with friends. Set everything out for your guests, and label all items and ingredients clearly.
Step 5: Keep It Glassy
When it comes to glassware, your kitchen cupboard doesn’t have to be the limit. Though the traditional Margarita glass helps showcase the drink’s aromatics and punchy hue, if you’re not equipped with a bevy of barware, whatever you have on hand should work. A rocks glass makes a perfect alternative, and coupe and Martini glasses provide a similar drinking experience.
If your guests are using cocktail shakers to shake and serve Margaritas, but you don’t have enough for everyone, any container with a sealable lid will do. Clean sauce jars and soup containers from takeout spots work particularly well as a stand-in shake.
Pro tip: If you fill a dispenser with pre-mixed Margaritas, adding a big ice block in a sealable plastic bag will keep the drink cool without watering it down.
Step 6: Get Juicy
Purchase or make fresh juice as close to the event as possible. While you’ll want some limes on hand for Margarita traditionalists, consider swapping out lime juice for other freshly squeezed options. The fresher the juice you can buy or make, the better your finished Margaritas will be — a little pre-game juicing can go a long way.
Watermelon, mango, strawberry, and pineapple juice are all relatively easy to find and can complement the tequila to create the perfect summer sip. Depending on where you live, other fruits might be in season locally. Don’t be afraid to experiment! If you’re lucky, your local grocer might even have some freshly squeezed options — go ahead, save yourself some work. If guests are mixing up their own drinks, you’ll want to pour the juices into bottles or carafes and keep them chilled in an ice bucket so they stay fresh and ready for mixing.
Bonus: Have a Tasting!
Talk about extra. Have each “contestant” make a full-sized version of their perfect Margarita, then pour it into smaller glasses for all to try. To keep things super simple, use paper cups and write the maker’s initials to differentiate between each Margarita.
Each drink should be judged by its flavor, how well the tequila stands out, the balance of juice to other ingredients, and how that rim and garnish tie it together. To up the ante, you could appoint a panel of esteemed judges to handle the tasting.
First prize? A bottle of Camarena Tequila, of course.
*Based on internal Gallo data
Drink responsibly. Tequila, Alcohol 40% by Volume (80 Proof), ©2024 Camarena Tequila, Healdsburg CA. All rights reserved.
This article is sponsored by Camarena Tequila.
