5 Essential Tequilas for the Perfect Paloma Cocktail

(Photo: Pasote)

National Paloma Day (5/22) is once again upon us! And, somehow, it feels like the classic grapefruit cocktail is more popular than ever.

Though Americans have long held the margarita near and dear to their hearts, the paloma has always possessed an international appeal that equals, if not surpasses, its lime-centric cousin. Lest we remind you that the drink — widely believed to have been invented at the oldest bar in Jalisco — is the National Cocktail of Mexico. Margarita be damned. Across the pond, brands have identified the paloma as a foothold for popularizing agave spirits with European consumers. Whether you make it with Squirt, Jarritos or Fresca (or our personal favorite, Ting), it’s hard to deny that the highball has a timeless quality that excels in its unrivaled simplicity.

But which tequila is right for the job?

Tasting our way through the options, we’d argue that unaged spirits are almost always the best choice. Preferably ones with a naturally sweet highland agave profile. It helps if they come in under 60 bucks, and even better if they double as a solo sipper that works well outside cocktails. Criteria in mind, we’ve put together a list of five top-tier options that deserve a place in your next homemade paloma.

El Tesoro Blanco

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Produced alongside another personal favorite we’ll be shouting out in a minute, El Tesoro is a tribute to those much-mentioned “old school” techniques you always hear about. The mini-tahona perched atop each bottle pays tribute to the most important part of the equation — the two-ton volcanic stone wheel that crushes agaves to a pulp at the brand’s acclaimed distillery, La Alteña.

Technical details aside, this is great stuff. El Tesoro’s flagship Blanco provides a rich, buttery mouthfeel crammed with lime, orange peel, salinity and a faintly yeasty character reminiscent of rising sourdough. Best of all, though perhaps not essential for a cocktail, it’s got this warming, drawn-out finish peppered with tons of tropical fruit character. Hats off to recently appointed master distiller Jenny Camarena for keeping this standout recipe alive. At $50, it’s a steal.

For a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the process, check out our tour of the La Alteña distillery here.

Not A Celebrity Tequila

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A bold name doesn’t always translate to bold flavor. Luckily, the cheekily titled Not A Celebrity Tequila provides plenty of both. Intended as a blunt rebuke to the Hollywood attitude that agave spirits can’t seem to shake, the brand is distilled at NOM 1517 using an additive-free recipe and more than enough on-the-nose slogans (one gem from its website reads: “Built on ingredients, not IMDB”).

In contrast to the bright, fruit-forward recommendations filling out most of this list, Not A Celebrity Tequila is an intriguingly herbal and bittersweet affair. Heady flavors of coffee, cinnamon, fennel and lime zest populate the palate, followed by a finish stuffed with licorice, cardamom and black pepper. It’s dark, it’s earthy and it provides just the right amount of complexity to justify its $40 price of entry. The brand has thus far only released a blanco, but we’d love to see how this concept could be elaborated on with aged expressions down the line.

Pasote Blanco

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Following a change of distilleries and a reimagining of its label, Pasote is now produced at Tequila El Tepozan, the deservedly beloved facility behind Don Chencho and TCapri. If you ask us, the juice is still as good as ever.

Made from single-estate agaves extracted with a mix of roller and screw mills, the brand’s blanco offers gobs of summer sweetness right at home within a grapefruit cocktail. The nose opens with welcoming aromas of sweet pineapple, melon, mango and a whisper of smoke — one that hints at the surprisingly ashy character found all across the palate and finish. After a few sips, flavors of salted lime, lemon, sweet pepper and rock candy slowly reveal themselves. The overall vibe resembles a barbecue on a sunny Caribbean island. It’s wonderfully yummy stuff from front to end and well deserving of its $45 price tag.

Tequila Campo Azul 1940 High Proof

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It’s all too easy for tequila releases — however spectacular they may be — to get lost in the shuffle of new brands, celebrities and pre-mixed cocktails. Though Campo Azul 1940 has been in the game for a while, we still can’t believe that their recent Still Strength Blanco hasn’t garnered more hype. It’s high time that changed.

Distilled using mineral-rich lowlands agave, this 53%-ABV bottling offers a blast of roasted agave through and through. The nose opens with delicate hints of grapefruit, lime, lavender and white pepper that segue into a palate rich with caramelized agave sweetness. Forgive the lazy expression, but it really does put the agave back in agave spirits. Perhaps most importantly when it comes to mixology, the ethanol burn you might expect from a high-proof tequila is totally absent, swapped out for a honeyed mouthfeel that pairs well with everything a paloma has to offer. If you’ve got $60 to spare, Campo Azul Still Strength is a must-buy solo sipper and bar cart essential.

Tapatio 110

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Tapatio 110 isn’t the kind of tequila typically found in a mixology roundup. Bottled at the legal maximum of 55% ABV, the expression is about blistering and unabashedly agave-forward as the spirit can get. For all those reasons and more, we’re cautiously inclined to suggest it inside a paloma. So long as you don’t mind a heavy dose of liquor in your glass.

Headed up by the previously mentioned La Alteña, this knock-out bottling from Tapatio is widely considered the pinnacle of the brand’s already spectacular catalog (right up there alongside Excelencia Extra Añejo). Aromas of papaya, honey and sweet cream pave the way for a palate rich with viscous, almost savory flavors of plum, berries, black pepper and fresh-squeezed lime. If you’ve never had a tequila that dials the alcohol content up to the extreme, Tapatio 110 is a great place to start. Rest assured, it tastes nothing like Everclear.

Though prices can vary quite a bit on this one, Total Wine currently offers Tapatio 110 at a modest $60.