20 best Tequila cocktails

With its earthy herbaceous flavours, tequila makes for both a versatile and characterful base spirit in cocktails. Contemporary pairings with tequila include sherry, elderflower, pamplemousse (pink grapefruit) liqueur, gentian liqueur, and my favourite, lavender.

Almond Old Fashioned
With: Reposado tequila, amaretto, agave syrup and orange bitters.
We say: One to please fans of both tequila and the Old Fashioned drinks genre with amaretto adding the headline hint of almond.

Azalea Margarita
With: Blanco tequila, triple sec, pineapple juice, lime juice, and grenadine.
We say: Grenadine adds a delicate pomegranate note to this well-balanced Pineapple Margarita.

Bermondsey Minute
With: Reposado tequila, aged sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur and lavender sugar syrup.
We say: Tequila and lavender are a match made in heaven, made more complex with herbal wine notes from the vermouth, aromatised by delicately fruity maraschino cherry.

Cadáver Reviver
With: Blanco tequila, triple sec, aromatised wine, lemon juice, and absinthe.
We say: The tequila and triple sec combo make this Corpse Reviver remarkably Margarita-like, but with additional complexity.

Californian Margarita
With: Blanco tequila, triple sec, lemon juice, falernum liqueur and saline solution.
We say: A classic Margarita but "with a few tweaks," including falernum which adds complex spiced sweetness to balance lemon (rather than lime).

Corpse Reviver No.4
With: Absinthe, reposado tequila, aromatised wine, triple sec, lemon juice and sugar syrup.
We say: Beautifully balanced with lemon acidity cleansing and offsetting sweet orange with subtle herbal tequila.

Dama Blanca
With: Blanco tequila, triple sec, lemon juice, agave syrup and egg white.
We say: A delightful drink softened and smoothed by egg white.

The Dante
With: Blanco tequila, green Chartreuse, kummel liqueur, sugar syrup and lime juice.
We say: Citrusy fresh and herbaceous, particularly caraway from the kummel, with tequila providing the backbone.

Dead Man's Handle
With: Blanco tequila, Italian aperitivo, lime juice, and orgeat syrup.
We say: Tequila charged, delicately bittersweet undertones nestle with rich almond notes.

Ernest + Rita
With: Blanco tequila, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and sugar cane syrup.
We say: A relatively low-alcohol, floral, grapefruit-laced and aperitivo-style Margarita.

Last Palabra
With: Reposado tequila, Green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, lavender syrup, lime juice, and lavender bitters.
We say: Tequila replaces gin in this Last Word riff with the amount of maraschino reduced to accommodate the introduction of lavender syrup, in turn is also balanced by a dash of lavender bitters.

Margarita on the Rocks (Difford's recipe)
With: Reposado tequila, triple sec, lime juice, agave syrup, salt and Difford's Margarita Bitters.
We say: This is how we prefer our Margaritas to be served. Tangy citrus and tequila with a hint of balancing sweetness and a faint salty undertone.

New York Minute
With: Reposado tequila, aged sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, sugar syrup, and whisky barrel-aged bitters.
We say: Honeyed tequila and aromatic maraschino with complex herbal vinous notes.

Oaxaca Old Fashioned
With: Reposado tequila, mezcal, agave syrup and chocolate bitters.
We say: An agave-based old-fashioned with a wonderful hit of smokiness from the mezcal.

Paloma
With: Blanco tequila, pink grapefruit juice, lime juice, agave syrup, and pink grapefruit soda.
We say: Reminiscent of a long fruity Margarita with refreshing effervescence.

Picante de la Casa (Soho House Tonic)
With: Red jalapeno, coriander, reposado tequila, agave syrup and lime juice.
We say: Best described as a Tommy's Margarita with added chilli spice and coriander.

Rosalia Margarita
With: Blanco tequila, Italian bitter red liqueur, lemon juice, and rose syrup.
We say: Delicately bittersweet with balancing citrus sourness and rich floral rose which combine brilliantly with tequila's agave notes.

Silk Stocking
With: Blanco tequila, white crème de cacao, grenadine, and cream.
We say: so smoooooooth but with a bite of tequila and hints of chocolate and fruit.

Smokestack Lightning
With: Reposado tequila, Islay single malt Scotch whisky, agave syrup, lime juice and Difford's Margarita Bitters.
We say: Margarita-like with a wisp of Islay smoke.

Tommy's Margarita
With: Reposado tequila, lime juice, agave syrup and Difford's Margarita Bitters.
We say: The flavour of agave is king in this simple Margarita, made without the traditional orange liqueur.