When it comes to tequila, it can divide the bar—you either love it or loathe it. And the loathe it camp often blame it on that one bad, boozy night (I should know, I was once firmly in that camp). But as any mixologist, bartender or tequila fan knows, the globally-revered spirit can be a tasty foundation for fresh summer cocktails.
So to debunk the unfair misconceptions and help steer your potentially broken relationship with tequila around, we caught up with mixologist and tequila specialist Hayley Dixon. Here, she explains why you should put the ol' ‘lick, sip, suck’ to bed once and for all and serves up five impressive tequila summer cocktails to whip up at home and treat yourself to this summer.
Tequila can be quite polarising among friends, What are some major tequila misconceptions?
I think the main one is that tequila should be served as a shot with salt and lime. The time, knowledge and labour that goes into producing well-made tequila are quite extraordinary and when you’re drinking a great tequila, knocking it back with salt and lime completely ruins the experience and the flavours the brand has spent years trying to create. Another is that aged Tequila is better. Neither aged nor unaged tequila is of better quality. Given that the ageing process takes time, aged will likely be more expensive, which gives the misconception that it is of better quality. It is just a personal preference.
What pairs really well with quality tequila? Are there any flavour combinations we should look out for?
When I first started hosting tequila masterclasses, I really wanted to enhance the experience for those who don’t often try neat Tequila and I did it by pairing all of our Tequilas with some very simple foods. I wanted to enhance flavours in the tequila, or contrast them with complementing flavours. My favourite basic pairing is sipping Reposado tequila with orange slices on the side. If you want to try something a little fancier, Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver with watermelon that has been sprinkled with black olive pieces and Tajin Clasico Seasoning—it’s amazing!
When it comes to mixing up a storm, do you have any advice or a go-to cocktail mantra you live by?
I have three that are at the forefront of every cocktail I make. Simplicity; fresh and seasonal ingredients; and correct temperature and dilution. Whether you're an at-home bartender enthusiast or already working in the industry, these three points are so important and, unfortunately, can often be overlooked.
The most well-known and incredible cocktails are the simplest. Think classics such as the Margarita, Manhattan and Old Fashioned. Each individual ingredient serves an important purpose and without it, the drink wouldn’t be balanced. When creating cocktails always ask yourself, is each ingredient important to the overall flavour profile?
Fresh and seasonal is self-explanatory. If you can, freshly juice all your citrus, it makes a huge difference. When mixing up a storm at home, choose ingredients that are in season.
Temperature and dilution may sound a little over the top for mixing at home, but it is quite simple and very effective. Get your glasses ice-cold in the freezer before serving and invest in larger sized ice cube trays. Bigger really does mean better when we talk about ice and when you are shaking or stirring down your drink, don’t hold back with how much you add. You want to be able to get the cocktail as cold as possible without watering it down.
When serving up tequila cocktails, what are some things to look out for?
I think the main thing is to choose the right Tequila for the cocktail. A silver and añejo have drastically different profiles and one cannot simply be substituted for the other when mixing cocktails. If you are mixing up a classic Margarita, try something like Jose Cuervo Especial Silver, if you want to experiment with a Tequila Old Fashioned, 1800 Añejo would be a better option because of the barrel-aged flavours.
Here are Dixon’s top five tequila cocktails to try at home this summer.
Elderflower T'N'T
30ml Jose Cuervo Especial Reposado
20ml Elderflower Liqueur
10ml Fresh Lime Juice
2 Dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
120ml Dry Tonic
Method: Build all ingredients into a highball or wine glass. Top with plenty of ice and garnish with a cucumber slice.
The Cuervo Spritz
30ml Jose Cuervo Especial Silver
20ml Lychee Liqueur
10ml Fresh Lemon Juice
15ml Simple Syrup
2 Dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
120ml Soda Water
Method: Build all ingredients over ice into a wine or highball glass and stir to combine. Garnish with a mint sprig.
Into Summer
45ml Jose Cuervo Especial Reposado
Pulp of ½ Fresh Passionfruit
20ml Honey Syrup
20ml Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
90ml Prosecco
Method: To make honey syrup simply mix three parts honey with one part warm water until combined. Shake all ingredients minus the prosecco, strain into a wine glass, fill with ice and top with prosecco. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig.
Watermelon Spritz
40ml Jose Cuervo Especial Silver
15ml Monin Watermelon Syrup
15ml Honey Syrup
20ml Fresh Lemon Juice
15ml Fresh Grapefruit Juice
60ml Dry Tonic
Method: To make honey syrup simply mix three parts honey with one part warm water until combined. Then, shake all ingredients minus the tonic, strain into a highball glass over ice. Garnish with a small watermelon wedge.
Just Ace
30ml Jose Cuervo Especial Silver
10ml Bitter orange liqueur
30ml Fresh Pineapple Juice
120ml Grapefruit Soda
5ml Olive Brine
Method: If grapefruit soda is unavailable, it can also be made by combining fresh grapefruit juice, simple syrup and soda water to taste. Then build over ice in a wine glass and stir to combine. Garnish with a grapefruit crescent and green olive.
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