Nationwide Margarita Day is February 22, and true patriots of libation nation will likely be honoring their favourite tequila-lime traditions throughout this nice land. For many who’d quite crack open a can than shake up a home-built cocktail, we’ve sampled 11 notable ready-to-drink choices that can assist you together with your celebrations.
Whether or not you’re a traditionalist lean towards the novel or avant garde, you’re certain to search out one thing on this choice that fits your margaritas operandi. Right here now, the alternatives in your consideration.
MAINSTREAM CLASSICS
Straightaway Margarita – Just a bit off the crushed path of ready-to-drink margaritas is Straightaway’s noteworthy concoction of reposado tequila, mezcal, lime, mango syrup, and habanero. This margarita is surprisingly properly layered for a canned cocktail, hanging a pleasant stability between clear and smoky with the tequila and mezcal, and between candy and heated with the mango and habanero. Of all of the cans on this roundup, Straightaway’s was the one I most lamented operating out of when the tasting was achieved. 25% abv. A / $24 per four-pack of 100ml cans / straightawaycocktails.com
10 Barrel Brewing Basic Margarita – Made in Oregon. Made with tequila, triple sec, lemon-lime, honey, and a bit of salt, Oregon-based 10 Barrel continues its craft of ready-to-drink cocktails with this Basic Margarita. Aimed on the heart of the bullseye for what all of us consider after we consider a margarita, this RTD basic delivers a clear, although pretty candy, citrusy sipper delivers refreshing lime to the palate and tangy triple sec to the nostril with solely the lightest tequila taste. The honey is refined and will simply be mistaken for agave syrup, and the pinch of salt balances and enhances the entire sensory expertise. It’s candy, however not cloying, and the tang is mushy quite than biting. All in, that is an easy-drinking occasion cocktail that’s prepared for an excellent time and possibly gained’t alienate anybody. 9% abv. B+ / $12 per four-pack / 10barrel.com
Golden Rule Margarita Unique – One other fundamental ready-to-drink margarita, Golden Rule’s easy mix of 100% agave tequila, triple sec, and contemporary lime juice is easy and unsurprising. The tequila takes the foreground within the taste profile right here, providing a extra booze-forward various to the sunshine and candy flavors of extra mainstream canned choices. 27% abv. B- / $20 per four-pack of 100ml cans / goldenrulespirits.com
Tip Prime Correct Cocktails Margarita – Made with tequila, orange liqueur, and I can solely assume the tiniest squeeze of lime, this stiff drink is available in at a heavy 26% abv, roughly thrice the alcohol of comparable RTD cocktails. In contrast to the Golden Rule Margarita, which has barely extra alcohol content material by share, this one delivers a punch of scorching vapor straight to the nostril, but additionally carries a notable salty-lime secondary profile. Whereas the can proclaims the drink “all the time balanced” and “by no means too candy,” we’re extra inclined to agree with the latter declare than the previous. Whereas the lime and orange flavors do come by way of, they’re mere background gamers in an intensely tequila-dominant efficiency. 26% abv. C+ / $40 per eight-pack of 100ml cans / tiptopcocktails.com
1800 Final Margarita – Straight from the middle of the grocery store mainstream cabinets, the favored 1800 Final Margarita hews as intently as attainable to the centerline of what defines a margarita within the grocery store aisle. It’s vibrant inexperienced, sweeter than most, and all however masks the flavour of the tequila blanco whence its producer made its identify. If you happen to’re on the lookout for one thing wholly inoffensive and straightforward to serve a crowd with out breaking the financial institution, this one will get the job achieved. 9.95% abv. C / $22 per 1.75L bottle / 1800tequila.com
SPARKLING MARGARITAS
Cazadores Margarita – With a touch of glowing water, the Cazadores Margarita stays true to the mainstream of margarita flavors based mostly on Cazadores Blanco tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur. It’s mild, effervescent, and extremely approachable, with a tangy aftertaste that, whereas initially off-putting, grew on us over time, placing this barely fizzy choice in the midst of the pack for our roundup. 5.9% abv. B / $15 per four-pack of 12 ounce cans / cazadores.com
Austin Cocktails Margarita – Glowing water and bergamot orange give this premade margarita a particular profile that’s attention-grabbing sufficient to have a dialog about. Constructed on a reasonably conventional spine of tequila, triple sec, and lime, the bergamot makes for a bitter, however attention-grabbing, twist on a well-worn formulation. The general affect is inexperienced and grassy, a bit abrasive, however crisp and refreshing. B- / $15 per 4-pack of 8 oz cans / austincocktails.com
INTERESTING ALTERNATIVES
BoochCraft Lemon-Lime Kombucha – Whereas nobody would confuse the BoochCraft Ginger Lime laborious kombucha with a standard margarita, the lime-centric taste profile is a enjoyable choice on this hallowed nationwide vacation. Made with natural probiotic cultures, contemporary ginger and lime, BoochCraft boasts wholesome kombucha digestive results past the enjoyment of the libation itself. Effervescent and vivid, ginger dominates the palate with this drink, and naturally there’s no tequila in it in any respect. Because the ginger flavors subside, BoochCraft’s canned kombucha leaves a pleasing lime aftertaste that lingers till the subsequent sip. Whereas we had been skeptical at first, we discovered ourselves wanting extra and never even caring that it ain’t even a margarita. 7% abv. B+ / $18 per six-pack of 12-ounce cans / boochcraft.com
El Hempe Lemon-Lime OG Kush – Hashish lovers upset by the dearth of weedy terpenes of their cocktails will really feel seen once they get a whiff of El Hempe Lemon-Lime OG Kush. Made with glowing water, tequila, pure lemon and lime flavors, and infused with hashish terpenes, El Hempe delivers a novel tackle the margarita with out calling it one. The woody pine OG Kush hashish aromas hit the nostril the second you crack the can, and carry on delivering as you sip. However there’s no THC or CBD on this drink, simply rock-solid pot aromas. General, this drink doesn’t disappoint on the margarita taste profiles, although purists will definitely squawk. 9% abv. B+ / $18 per four-pack / el-hempe.com
Golden Rule Paloma – Shut sufficient to a margarita for consideration on Nationwide Margarita Day is the Paloma, a marg-adjacent cocktail constructed on grapefruit quite than lime and orange flavors. Golden Rule’s Tequila Paloma blends 100% agave tequila, pink grapefruit liqueur, Rio Purple grapefruit juice, and lime juice. Like its Margarita Unique, the Golden Rule Tequila Paloma is a heavy hitter each in its taste profile and alcohol content material. The tequila is daring and reposado in character, and the grapefruit flavors bolster that sufficient that a few of our tasters visibly shuddered on their first sip. That mentioned, it mellows with additional sips and is value a attempt should you like bolder tequila drinks. Rated purely for its efficiency within the Paloma class, this one will get a B-, which isn’t dangerous for a canned cocktail. 15% abv. B- / $20 per four-pack of 100ml cans / goldenrulespirits.com
Olmeca Altos Strawberry Margarita – The brand new Strawberry Margarita from Olmeca Altos blends Olmeca Altos Plata tequila, pure strawberry flavors, and agave syrup to delivers mild, refreshing fruit aromas to the nostril and mushy tequila background notes to the palate. It’s a easy, virtually one-note drink, however easy-sipping if faintly medicinal. These on the lookout for a none-too-fussy various to conventional lime-orange-salt margarita flavors would possibly think about this fruity various. 15% abv. C / $21 per 750ml bottle / olmecaaltos.com
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