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GT’s ultimate guide to tequila (and how to mix it)

Your favourite Margarita awaits.

Tequila is a mainstay spirit, and for good reason. It’s dependable on its own and makes for a quality mixer in your go-to Margarita recipe.

How to choose the best tequila? Look for time and flavour. Handcrafted from weber blue agave (which slowly ripens every eight or so years), Patrón Tequila varieties are a lesson in patience, quality, and complex flavours. The mixtures are fermented for three days, distilled and, in some cases, aged in handmade barrels.

To help you discover your preferred tequila tipple, we’ve created a guide to the best varieties and how to mix them into fresh and salty Margaritas. Find your new favourite tequila below.

Patrón Silver

A round of tequila shots are often associated with a big night out. But tequila isn’t made for tossing down your throat in one go; the spirit is meant to be sipped slowly and thoughtfully to taste and appreciate the unique notes. Clear and bright in colour, Patrón’s classic blanco tequila is smooth and sweet — perfect for mixing. It’s typically bottled right after distillation without ageing (unlike its older counterparts) and has a citrusy aroma that will remind you of tropical Mexico in one big whiff. Savour this classic margarita served on the rocks.

Mix to make: Classic Margarita

Ingredients:

45ml Patrón Silver

30ml Citrónge Orange Liqueur

22.5ml Fresh lime juice

7.5ml Simple syrup

  • Lime wedge for garnish

  • Kosher salt

Method:

  1. Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously with ice to chill.

  2. Strain onto fresh ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

  3. Optionally, salt half the rim of the glass with kosher salt.

Patrón Reposado

To qualify as a reposado, which translates to ‘rested’ in Spanish, blanco tequila must be aged in oak barrels between two and 11 months. Patrón Reposado is aged for at least two months, giving the spirit a light amber tint and oak wood aroma. To properly taste this reposado — which expertly balances fresh agave and oak wood flavours — pour into a champagne glass with a narrower opening at the top. This keeps the aroma inside and brightens the notes of fruit citrus and honey. Reposado also works well in cocktails; Make a herbal and fruity margarita with this simple recipe.

Mix to make: Watermelon basil Margarita

Ingredients:

45ml Patrón Reposado

30ml Fresh watermelon juice or puree

30ml Fresh lime juice

30ml Agave nectar

3 basil leaves or basil simple syrup

  • Watermelon wedge for garnish

Method:

  1. Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill.

  2. Strain onto fresh ice in a double old fashioned glass.

  3. Garnish with a basil leaf and wedge of watermelon or dehydrated lime wheel.

Patrón Añejo

The crème de la crème of tequilas, Patrón Añejo has the smoothest flavour out of all three varieties. Meaning ‘vintage’ in Spanish, Añejo tequilas must be aged from one to three years in oak barrels to enrichen complexity, aroma, and appearance. Because of the length of ageing, this spirit boasts a dark golden hue with a distinct oak wood taste, complemented by vanilla, raisins, and honey with a hint of melon. Sip this vintage on the rocks, neat or mixed in cocktails, such as this delicious tropical and spiced Margarita.

Mix to make: Mile high Margarita

Ingredients:

45ml Patrón Añejo

30ml Citrónge Orange Liqueur

15ml Lime juice

30ml Pineapple juice

3 dashes Angostura Bitters

Method:

  1. Combine all ingredients except Angostura Bitters in a shaker with ice.

  2. Shake vigorously to chill. Strain into a collins glass with fresh ice.

  3. Add 3 dashes of Angostura Bitters over the top.

  4. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Brought to you Patrón Tequila. The perfect way to enjoy Patrón is responsibly.

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