The Margarita Starts With the Tequila

KENYA – The Margarita is deceptively simple. Three ingredients, a salted rim, and a squeeze of fresh lime. It has been one of the most ordered cocktails in the world for several years, yet it remains one of the most frequently made on autopilot.

According to the bartenders who build them for a living, the single most important decision happens before the shaker comes out. It starts with the tequila.

Blanco tequilas retain the sharpest expression of the agave plant, offering the clean, crisp character that allows lime and orange liqueur to do their work without competing for attention. But not all Blancos are built the same.

Don Julio Blanco is known for its bright, agave-forward profile with pronounced citrus notes, including lime, lemon, and a suggestion of grapefruit, that create a structured, clean finish.

Casamigos Blanco, rested for two months before bottling, introduces softer notes of vanilla and subtle caramel-like sweetness beneath the same citrus backbone.

The distinction is not about one being superior. It is about understanding what each brings to the glass and building around it.

Classic Margarita

45 ml Don Julio Blanco

20 ml Fresh lime juice

15 ml Orange liqueur (Cointreau)

Salt rim. Ice. Lime wheel Garnish

Shake with ice until well chilled. Strain into a salt – rimmed rocks glass over ice.

Mango Margarita

50 ml Casamigos Blanco

25 ml Cointreau

25 ml Fresh lime juice

15 ml Agave syrup

50 ml Mango juice or fresh puree

Cilli salt or tajin rim

Shake vigorously with ice. Strain into a chilled, chilli – rimmed glass over fresh ice.

The classic lets Don Julio’s citrus notes lead, with a salt rim that sharpens the finish. The mango variation works with Casamigos’ vanilla undertones, while the chilli rim provides a savoury counterpoint that keeps the fruit in check.

One must always use freshly squeezed lime as bottled juice flattens the drink. You need to also chill your glass for five to ten minutes before serving to keep the cocktail at the right temperature longer.

And when sweetening, reach for agave syrup over simple syrup to maintain flavour harmony with the tequila.

The three ingredients leave no room to hide. On this World Margarita Day, choose your Blanco with intention, balance carefully, and the cocktail you thought you already knew may have quite a bit more to say.

For more information on Don Julio and Casamigos, please visit ke.thebar.com

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.