While it’s true that cocktails like the Margarita and the Paloma do a fantastic job of providing refreshing taste on some of the hottest days of the year, that doesn’t mean tequila can’t be enjoyed in cold-weather cocktails, too. And when it comes to which tequila is best for celebrating the holiday season, there’s none as good as PATRÓN.
From a versatile silver, reposado, and añejo to the prestige PATRÓN EL ALTO, PATRÓN offers no shortage of options to craft holiday cocktails. Add a bit of complexity to your coffee cocktails by adding an aged expression or see how the unaged versions harmonize with seasonal spices when mixed into winter Margaritas.
To learn how the pros approach this task, we asked top bartenders from across the country to share their insights. And they had a lot to say. From its clean, crisp profile to the spirit’s ability to pair beautifully with several seasonal flavors, here’s why bartenders consider PATRÓN the best tequila for your holiday menu.
“PATRÓN is the perfect tequila for the holiday season thanks to its bright, refreshing flavor and incredible versatility. It easily transforms into everything from a bold Thai Spicy Margarita, made with PATRÓN Silver, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, Thai chili, and coriander, to a refined Rosado cocktail, specially crafted at Bangkok Supper Club, featuring Lillet Blanc, cranberry, coconut shrub, and lactic acid. Whether you’re channeling an NYC classic or experimenting with tropical twists, PATRÓN Silver delivers a clean, vibrant base that elevates every sip. It’s the kind of spirit that brings both energy and elegance to the back bar.” —Chacha Suwincha, beverage director, NYC
“PATRÓN is one of those tequilas that give you a [crisp], reliable base while still offering depth from that soft, cooked agave flavor. It doesn’t overpower — instead, it lets the seasonal ingredients shine, which is exactly what you want when working with bold fall spices or fresh winter citrus. It’s the kind of bottle I always keep on hand during the holidays.” —Carolina Gonzalez, beverage director, Chicago
“PATRÓN is always a good choice to have around. I will always support brands that remain true to their ethos by taking care of their workers, maintain good relationships with the jimadors, strive for sustainability, and remain true to their roots without compromising on their handcrafted production process. The juice speaks for itself. When we start moving towards the colder months of the year, I find myself reaching for their aged expressions like the reposado or añejo. The richer tones you get from the barrel aging add both natural sweetness, but also depth and character to cocktails. I’m a firm believer in substituting agave spirits into coffee based drinks so I tend to start adding reposado into my Carajillos (or Espresso Martini Cocktails) in the winter months, which adds some notes of terroir that work with the natural earthy and bitter notes from fresh coffee.” —Jeremy Bennet, bar owner, Chicago
“Send your guest to the tropics with every sip and let Tequila PATRÓN Reposado be your passport this season. I personally love the hint of honey and cinnamon the barrel aging gives this expression, which is perfect for festive punches. Think allspice dram, homemade tepache, and a splash of brut Champagne.” —Erin Birmingham, bar manager, NYC
“PATRÓN only uses three ingredients to make their tequila – water, agave, and yeast. It’s a tequila that doesn’t hide behind artificial flavors or color and is representative of the Blue Weber agave used. PATRÓN is robust and will add a lot of depth to any holiday cocktail that wants an agave spirit. Which expression you use depends on the flavors of the cocktail you are trying to produce. PATRÓN Silver has peppery and grassy notes, which pair well in a hot chocolate-style drink. I personally like to use hibiscus, which is traditionally used in Caribbean holiday drinks, with PATRÓN Reposado. The reposado adds a vanilla and caramel note that complements the dry and tart profile of hibiscus flowers. PATRÓN Añejo, with its richer oak and spiced notes, is perfect when used in holiday cocktails that are reminiscent of baked goods, like pies and cookies.” —Elias Kassner, bar manager, San Jose, Calif.
“PATRÓN is made from water, agave, and yeast, making it a go-to for agave lovers. It brings a beautiful vegetal note to cocktails with bold, contrasting flavors, and it absolutely shines in rich chocolate pairings. It’s hands down my favorite tequila for hot cocoa variations.” —Rachelle Merlo, beverage consultant, Oakland, Calif.
“PATRÓN offers a beautiful balance of fruity and grassy notes that can be accompanied by a number of different flavors. The notes of vanilla and caramel add a subtle holiday touch.” —Ben Yabrow, head bartender, NYC
“We sell a lot of Margaritas and Palomas, so we decided to add a seasonal Paloma to our holiday menu. Whenever I’m choosing a tequila to suit these classic-style drinks, I want a tequila that is bright and green to punch through everything and keep the experience as refreshing as possible. I find that PATRÓN does this very well, which is why I always consider it for these types of drinks.” —Miguel Salehi, bar manager, San Francisco
“PATRÓN is a great choice. It has a flavor of fresh agave with earthy and citrusy qualities. I use PATRÓN Reposado in an agave-focused Old Fashioned. Visually, the bar gets excited watching us unbox a fresh bottle of PATRÓN with its iconic wrap — it’s the perfect gift for the holiday menu.” —Nigal Vann, head bartender, Chicago
This article is sponsored by PATRÓN Tequila.
