Name: Bitter Margarita
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 30 ml Blanco tequila; 15 ml Mezcal; 15 ml Triple sec; 15 ml Red bitter liqueur; 7.5 ml Agave syrup; 22.5 ml Lime juice; 4 drop Saline solution 4:1

Ingredients

1 fl oz

Olmeca Altos Plata tequila

¹⁄₂ fl oz

Del Maguey Vida Clásico Mezcal

¹⁄₂ fl oz

Cointreau L'Unique triple sec liqueur

¹⁄₂ fl oz

Italian red bitter liqueur

¹⁄₄ fl oz

Agave syrup (agave nectar)

³⁄₄ fl oz

Lime juice (freshly squeezed)

4 drop

Saline solution (20g sea salt to 80g water) or pinch of salt

How to make

Glass

Prepare

Select and pre-chill an OLD-FASHIONED GLASS.

RIM glass with Tajín seasoning (moisten outside edge with lime or orange juice and drip into Tajín).

Prepare garnish of blood orange slice wheel.

Method

SHAKE all ingredients with ice.

STRAIN into ice-filled glass.

Garnish

Garnish with blood orange slice.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Bitter Margarita contains 192 calories

Alcohol content:

1.5 standard drinks
19.2% alc./vol. (38.41° proof)
21.7 grams of pure alcohol

Gallery

Comments & Discussion

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Chris Brislawn 1w

Great concept. The small amount of added mezcal produces a nice interplay between the smoky mezcal and the red bitter; using all mezcal would be overkill. I cut the agave back to 1 tsp (1/6 oz) and it was still sweet enough for us. As others have noted, I don't see why saline is necessary in a drink whose glass has a rim encrusted with salty Tajin seasoning.

Rik de Boer 2w

Sooo tasty!
I also tried a simpler variant, using Mezcal only (45ml), rather than Tequila (30ml) + Mezcal (15ml) and it worked great too.
Wouldn't bother with the salt solution in the mix.
Just have a sip, then a lick of Tajin from the rim/side of the glass. Yum!

Kevin Haynes Premium Member 15w

It is absolutely delightful! The Campari and mezcal harmonize really well with the standard margarita ingredients.

As others have said, it can get a bit salty if having salt in the drink as well on the rim. Maybe skip the saline and just go with the Taijin, or use a non-salty chili powder alternative. Not sure if available in UK and Europe, but Mrs Dash southwest chipotle would work!

Andy Parnell-Hopkinson 15w

Excellent

Florian Ruf Premium Member 22w

Perfectly balanced, bitter, smokey. I did not expect such a wonderful result. I only would add some drops of saline solution (and possibly use Tajin with less salt), so the saltiness is already in the drink.

Erik Lindgren 16w

I agree. It is balanced and good with four drops of saline solution, but the salt is a bit much if you also add a Tajin rim. Maybe exclude the saline solution all together if you use Tajin. Reminds me a bit of my favorite cocktail, the Siesta.

william dennehy 3w

I agree, fantastic drink. I was not expecting it to be so good!
I didn't use the exact brands listed but stayed true to the overall recipe. I made a Urfa Biber salt and thought it went great on the rim. Ymmv.

Steven Jepson Premium Member 1y

All the ingredients are perfect but the end result just not for me.
The bitters and the Mezcal just seemed to bring each other out too much.

Calvin Grant Premium Member 1y

Awesome 'possum. Simply outstanding. The bitter's well balanced by the agave/orangy triple sec and the salty pepper lime of the tajin takes this to the next level. ★☆★☆★♡♡