We may never know who really created the margarita, but we should be thankful none the less. It doesn’t matter if it was originally made in 1938 for a dancer who was allergic to everything except tequila, nor should we care if it was first mixed a decade later in Acapulco by a Dallas woman named Margarita, who then served it to someone from the iconic Hilton family. For all we know—and what some booze historians contend—it was already being enjoyed in Tijuana before anyone ever tried to officially claim the prestigious distinction.
What matters is we know how to make a great margarita. In fact, we know how to make a lot of great margaritas, thanks to the generosity of some of our favorite Mexican and Caribbean resorts. Since February 22 is National Margarita Day, we have some brand new recipes to share, as well as some classics that everyone should know.
After all, for many of us, every day is margarita day.
The Velas Margarita
We could probably debate which resorts have the most delicious margs until our faces turn Blue Curaçao, but there’s no denying the creativity from the mixologists at Mexico’s Velas Resorts. So, let’s kick this off with the signature Velas Margarita.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Espolòn Silver Tequila
- 1 oz Grand Marnier
- 1 oz passionfruit pulp
- 0.75 oz coconut cream
- 1 oz lime juice
How to Make It:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then shake. Serve in an old fashioned glass with ice. Garnish with orange peel and grated coconut.
The Velas Hibiscus Margarita
Ingredients for the Syrup:
- 33 fluid oz water
- 50 g Hibiscus flower
- Cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 6.75 oz agave honey
Ingredients for the Margarita:
- Ice
- 1.75 oz syrup
- Juice of half lime
- 1.5 oz tequila
- 0.5 oz Cointreau
How to Make It:
Boil the hibiscus with the cinnamon and cloves until it reduces to half, and then add the agave honey. Blend the syrup with the rest of the ingredients until you get a smooth frappé consistency.
Rim the edge of a margarita glass or an old-fashioned glass with the same syrup, sugar, and salt. Garnish with a slice of caramelized lime.
Jumby Bay’s Casa Margarita
With the arrival of Casamigos at Jumby Bay Island in Antigua, guests can now enjoy the “Margarita Hotline,” which sends these delicious cocktails directly to their suites, villas, and private residences. This likely won’t be the last we speak of this awesome resort and its Casamigos Margarita Beach Shack pop-ups.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Casamigos Reposado
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 0.5 oz simple syrup
- 2 dashes of orange bitters (recommended: Regans’ Orange Bitters)
- Salt mixture: equal parts kosher salt, white granulated sugar and orange zest (Top tip: mix in advance and store in a container until ready to use)
- Dehydrated or fresh lime wheel
How to Make It:
Wet half-rim of a glass with lime wedge and dip into the salt mixture. Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously before straining into the rimmed glass. Add fresh ice and garnish with lime wheel.
Jumby Bay’s Spicy Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Casamigos Blanco
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 0.5 oz Simple Syrup
- 2 cucumber slices
- 1 jalapeño slice
- Salt mixture: equal parts kosher salt, white granulated sugar and tajín (Top tip: mix in advance and store in a container until ready to use)
- Garnish of cucumber wheel and jalapeño slice through a vertical skewer
How to Make It:
Wet half-rim of glass with lime wedge and dip into salt mixture. Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Muddle cucumber and jalapeño, add ice, and shake vigorously before straining into the rimmed glass. Add fresh ice and garnish with floating cucumber wheel and jalapeño slice.
Atlantis Paradise Island’s Salt Air Margarita
In addition to being an all-around terrific human being, chef José Andrés makes a pretty amazing marg. This particular recipe comes from Fish by José Andrés at Atlantis Paradise Island, and it is especially great for people who aren’t keen on salt rims.
Ingredients (one serving):
- 236 grams water
- 177 grams lime juice
- 2 barspoons (about 1 teaspoon) of kosher salt
- 1 barspoon (about half a teaspoon) of sucro
How to Make It:
Activate the sucro by combining it with 200 g of hot water (at least 70˚C / 158˚F) and blending with a hand blender. Once temperature is reached and Sucro is activated (and well blended with the hot water), remove from heat and combine with the rest of ingredients in an ice bath.
Blend with an (immersion) hand blender. Use a spoon to add the foam to the top of your margarita.
Barceló Bávaro Grand Resort’s Passion Margarita
The all-inclusive Barceló Bávaro Grand Resort offers guests two experiences—Barceló Bávaro Palace and the adults-only Barceló Bávaro Beach Resort—but staying here all boils down to one thing: those gorgeous Dominican Republic beaches. And what do we always say? If you’re enjoying the sand, better have a marg in your hand.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz of Tequila (blanco)
- A half oz of Triple Sec, preferably Cointreau
- Half cup of strawberry puree
How to Make it:
Run a lime wedge around the rim of a glass and dip in salt. Fill the glass with ice. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add tequila, triple sec and strawberry puree. Shake to combine. Strain the cocktail over the preparer glass and garnish with a lime wedge. And feel free to go ahead and tell your friends it’s your own recipe. They won’t know unless they’re Barceló Bávaro regulars.
Barceló Maya Grand Resort Speedy Gonzalez Margarita
This collection of six Riviera Maya resorts delivers the best of Mexico’s lush jungles and the stunning Caribbean Sea, and with 27 restaurants and 24 bars, it’s safe to say there are plenty of choices for food and drink. But this truly unique margarita recipe is a very good way to start.
Ingredients:
- 0.5 oz mango juice
- 1 oz tequila blanco
- 0.25 oz Cointreau
- 0.5 oz Tempranillo red wine
How to Make It:
Using a cocktail shaker, mix mango juice with tequila and Cointreau. Shake vigorously and pour over ice using a cocktail glass of choice. Add in Tempranillo red wine for an extra kick.
Occidental Cozumel’s Tajin Cucumber Pepper Margarita
To some people, a marg is just a marg—mix, tequila, and lime. But this is a cocktail that can also be a work of art, as evidenced by this spectacular version from Occidental Cozumel, where every stay is an adventure for guests of all ages. Of course, this recipe is adults-only.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Herradura Reposado Tequila
- 1 oz Triple Sec
- 1 cucumber slice
- Bell pepper ring
- 3 small slices of watermelon
- 1 oz citric juice
- 1 oz agave nectar
- Tajin (dried pepper, salt and lime mix)
How to Make It:
In a mixing tin, muddle cucumber and bell pepper. Add tajin to taste, citric juice, agave, triple sec and tequila. Shake and strain over ice. Garnish with a cucumber and watermelon slices.
Tommy Bahama’s Mango Habanero Margarita
One of our all-time favorite recipes, this one doesn’t come from a resort, but instead the folks at Tommy Bahama. After all, it’s not about where it’s made, but how good it tastes.
Ingredients:
- 1.75 parts Milagro Silver tequila
- 0.75 parts Curacao orange liqueur
- 1 part mango puree
- 1 part scratch sour mix
- 2 slices fresh habanero
- 4 drops Bittermens Hellfire Habanero Shrub Bitters
How to Make It:
Combine all ingredients with ice cubes and shake in a Boston shaker. Pour into a salt-rimmed glass and top with two habanero slices.
JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa Mezcalina
The JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa is home to more than 150 different margaritas, so picking one is practically impossible. However, mezcal deserves some love on National Margarita Day, so we are going with this editor’s choice favorite, because it’s beyond delicious.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz tequila (preferably Tierra Noble Reposado)
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 1 oz mezcal
- 0.5 oz simple syrup
- 1 oz orange juice
- 0.75 oz lemon juice
- Tajin seasoning for rim
How to Make It:
Pour all ingredients in a shaker glass and muddle together, add ice, and shake. Line the glass rim with Tajin seasoning (if available). Pour ingredients into the glass, and garnish with an orange slice.
