6 Killer Cocktails for “National Tequila Day”
It’s time to drink some tequila.
We live in a golden age of increasingly silly food and drink holidays. Whether it’s National Lollipop Day (July 20, in case you missed it), National Scotch Day (July 27, mark your calendars) or National Cotton Candy Day (July 31, this one’s for you, carnival workers!) pretty much every day of the year has been anointed with an edible or drinkable identity.
But today happens to be National Tequila Day, and for that we raise a glass. It’s a spirit that at once evokes pounding Patron shots until you can’t see straight, Jimmy Buffet’s restaurant chain and that song Pee-Wee Herman made famous. It also happens to be big brother to the smokier, more complex agave spirit mezcal, which you can read about here. Drinking good tequila straight is always preferred, but if you’re down to mix it up, here are six cool cocktails courtesy of our friends at Avion:
Elevated Margarita
Ingredients: 2 oz. Avión Silver or Reposado
1 oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. agave nectar
Instructions: Combine ingredients in shaker with ice, and shake vigorously. Strain over fresh ice. Garnish with lime wheel.
Mile High
Ingredients:
2 oz. Tequila Avión Silver
1 oz. pineapple juice
1/2 oz. agave nectar
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
2 Jalapeño wheels
pineapple wedge or lime wheel
Instructions:
Lightly muddle jalapeño wheels and agave nectar in cocktail shaker. Add remaining ingredients, fill with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a large rocks glass rimmed with a mixture of chili powder and salt. Garnish with pineapple wedge or lime wheel.
Papaya Smash
Ingredients:
1 1/4 oz. Avión Añejo
1/2 oz. Aperol
1/2 oz. orange juice
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
slice of fresh papaya
1/4 oz. agave nectar
Instructions:
Add a slice of fresh papaya and agave nectar to a mixing glass. Muddle to release papaya flavor. Add tequila, Aperol and orange juice and top with lime juice. Add ice and give it a good shake. Strain over ice, garnish with papaya slice.
Endless Summer
Ingredients:
2 oz. Avión Reposado
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. soda water
Instructions:
Combine tequila and pineapple juice over ice in a tall glass and stir until chilled. Add splash of soda and garnish with lime wheel.
Paloma
Ingredients:
2 oz. Tequila Avión Silver
1 oz. grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
splash of club soda
grapefruit slice for garnish
Instructions: Pour ingredients over ice in a Collins glass and stir to chill. Garnish with lime wedge.
Caliente Viejo
Ingredients:
2 oz. Avión Añejo
¾ oz. Hot Pepper Infused Agave Nectar
3 dashes orange bitters
orange twist
Instructions:
Add tequila and agave syrup to mixing glass filled with ice. Add orange bitters. Gently stir, then strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with orange twist.
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