10 Tequila Cocktails to Dethrone the Margarita

This article is a part of Agave Spirits Week, a week of content celebrating tequila, mezcal and other distilled spirits crafted from agave. Click here to check out the rest of our Agave Spirits Week content, which focuses on the best distilleries to visit in Mexico, the best agave spirits of the year, unique agave cocktail recipes and more.

There’s no denying the Margarita’s reign over tequila cocktails, but beyond the salt-rimmed staple lies a whole world of agave drinks that deserve the spotlight. There is a reason margaritas are one of the most popular cocktails — sweet, sour and super refreshing — but are we overlooking some other tequila drinks that are just as satisfying? From bittersweet Negroni riffs to tropical sippers and social-media-worthy spritzes, these 10 outstanding tequila cocktails show just how versatile Mexico’s signature spirit can be.

Rosita

(Photo: Unsplash/Sebastian Coman Photography)

A bold, bittersweet riff on the Negroni, the Rosita is a stirred-and-strong classic that’s built for slow sipping. Herbal, bitter and complex, this cocktail is perfect for fans of drier drinks who are looking to experiment.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz tequila reposado (Three Amigos Reposado recommended)
• 0.5 oz Campari
• 0.5 oz sweet vermouth
• 0.5 oz dry vermouth
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• Garnish: Grapefruit or orange peel

Directions

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice or simply add to a rocks glass with a large cube. Then, stir until well chilled, about 20 seconds. If needed, strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with a grapefruit or orange peel twisted and placed neatly on top of the ice.

Mexican Firing Squad

(Photo: Unsplash/Aleisha Kalina)

A criminally underrated tequila-grenadine cocktail, the Mexican firing squad is a simple mix of tequila, lime juice, grenadine and bitters that dates back to 1937. The cocktail originated at La Cucaracha — (The Cockroach) Cocktail Club in Mexico City and was shared with the world by cocktail writer Charles H. Baker.

Ingredients

• 2 oz tequila blanco (Laelia Blanco recommended)
• 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
• 0.5 oz grenadine
• 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
• Garnish: lime wheel and/or cherry.

Directions

Add all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously until chilled. Strain into a highball or double rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel or cherry or both if you are feeling frisky.

Batanga

(Photo: Pexels/Ron Lach)

The Batanga is an iconic Jalisco cocktail that proves simple ingredients can have surprising results. Similar to the iconic rum drink, the Cuba Libre, this one is just tequila blanco, fresh lime juice and Coca-Cola served over ice with a salted rim. The trick? Stirring it with the same knife you used to cut the lime — an old-school tradition from its creator, Don Javier of La Capilla.

Ingredients

• 2 oz tequila blanco (Painted Donkey Blanco recommended)
• 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
• Cola to top (preferably Mexican Coke)
• Garnish: Salt for the rim

Directions

Start by salting the rim of a tall glass. Fill the glass with ice and then add the tequila and lime juice. Top the whole thing off with some cola and keep with tradition by stirring it together with the same knife you used to cut the lime (although we won’t tell if you don’t).

Jalisco Flower

(Photo: Pexels/Nguyen Huy)

A floral, sparkling highball that merges Paloma vibes with a St-Germain spritz, the Jalisco Flower is a summertime go-to. This highball blends tequila blanco with elderflower liqueur, fresh lime and grapefruit soda, offering a bubbly, citrus-forward profile with just enough sweetness.

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz tequila blanco (Alma Del Jaguar Blanco recommended)
• 0.5 oz elderflower liqueur (St-Germain recommended)
• 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
• Grapefruit soda to top (Jarritos or Fever-Tree recommended)
• Garnish: Grapefruit peel or edible flower

Directions

Add the tequila, liqueur and lime juice to a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled then strain into a tall glass with ice. Top with grapefruit soda and garnish with a grapefruit peel or, for an extra touch of elegance, an edible flower.

Debbie, Don’t

(Photo: Unsplash/Pylyp Sukhenko)

A dark horse among the tequila cocktails, Debbie, Don’t is a delicious concoction that mixes tequila reposado with a touch of amaro and maple syrup. The result is in an earthy, warming cocktail with enough sweetness to keep it balanced.

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz tequila reposado (Tequila Corralejo Reposado recommended)
• 0.75 oz amaro (Montenegro or Averna recommended)
• 0.25 oz maple syrup
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• Garnish: orange peel

Directions

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice or simply add to a rocks glass with a large cube . Stir until well chilled, about 20 seconds. If needed, strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish by expressing an orange peel over the drink for added aromatic depth, then place the peel on top.

Ranch Water

(Photo: Unsplash/Megan Bucknall)

This Texas-born cocktail is the minimalist’s Margarita alternative. Made with tequila blanco, lime juice and Topo Chico, it’s crisp, ultra-refreshing and light enough to sip all afternoon. No sugar, no frills — just clean, thirst-quenching flavor that makes it one of the easiest tequila cocktails to love.

Ingredients

• 2 oz tequila blanco (La Pulga Blanco recommended)
• 0.5 oz lime juice
• soda water to top
• Garnish: lime wedge

Directions

Fill a glass with ice and add tequila and lime juice, then top with soda water. Garnish the rim of the glass with a lime wedge.

Bloody Maria

(Photo: Pexels/Gilario Guevara)

The Bloody Maria is the agave-forward answer to the brunch favorite, the Bloody Mary. By swapping vodka for tequila blanco or reposado, this cocktail gains an earthy, peppery richness that stands up beautifully to tomato juice, citrus and spice. There are no hard rules for a bloody maria, so add hot sauce for kick and garnish with whatever fixings you crave — jalapeños, pickles, tajin, a strip of bacon or even a whole sandwich.

Ingredients

• 2 oz tequila blanco or reposado (Lobos 1707 Joven recommended)
• 4 oz tomato juice
• 0.5 oz fresh lemon or lime juice
• 0.25 oz Worcestershire sauce
• 2-3 dashes hot sauce (to taste)
• Pinch of celery salt
• Pinch of black pepper
• Optional: dash of horseradish or pickle brine
• Garnishes: celery stalk and citrus wedge or go wild

Directions

Add all ingredients into a glass filled with ice. Then, mix the cocktail by rolling or throwing the mixture back and forth between two glasses for about 30 seconds. Once chilled and mixed, garnish with a celery stalk for a classic touch or use your imagination. If you prefer a smokey version of this cocktail try a split base with mezcal.

Oaxaca Old Fashioned

(Photo: Unsplash/Adam Jaime)

Oaxacan Old Fashioned is a slightly smoky, agave-forward twist on the whiskey classic. It blends tequila reposado with a float of mezcal, a touch of agave syrup and a few dashes of bitters. The beauty is in its simplicity.

• 1.5 oz tequila reposado (Mijenta Tequila Reposado recommended)
• 0.5 oz mezcal (400 Conejos Espadín Añejo recommended)
• 0.25 oz agave syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Garnish: Orange or grapefruit peel

Directions

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice or simply add to a rocks glass with a large cube. Stir until well chilled, about 20 seconds. If needed, strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with an orange or grapefruit peel but first express the oils of the citrus around the rim of the glass and then place the peel into the cocktail.

El Diablo

(Photo: Pexels/Daniel Duarte)

A Tiki-era classic from Trader Vic’s, the El Diablo is sort of an evolution of the aforementioned Mexican Firing Squad cocktail. It brings together tequila blanco, crème de cassis, lime and ginger beer for a refreshing highball that’s part spicy mule, part berry fizz.

• 1.5 oz tequila blanco or reposado (Siempre Plata recommended)
• 0.5 oz crème de cassis
• 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
• Ginger beer to top
• Garnish: lime wedge

Directions

Add tequila, crème de cassis and lime juice to a glass filled with ice. Then, top with ginger beer and stir gently. Alternatively, wait to add the crème de cassis, leaving room at the top and then pour it last to create a layered effect. Garnish with a lime wedge placed on the rim.

Cantarito

(Photo: Pexels/Eden FC)

This cocktail is the ultimate citrus-charged crowd-pleaser. The cantarito hails from the same region as many tequilas itself, Jalisco. It layers blanco tequila with fresh orange juice, grapefruit juice, lime juice and a pinch of salt, topped with a splash of grapefruit soda for effervescence. The cocktail is often served in its traditional namesake clay vessel rimmed with spicy and sour tajin.

Ingredients

• 2 oz tequila blanco (Don Fulano Blanco recommended)
• 1 oz fresh orange juice
• 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
• 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
• Pinch of salt
• Grapefruit soda to top (Squirt or Jarritos preferred)
• Garnishes: Tajin rim and citrus wedge

Directions

If you have a cantarito (the cup, not the cocktail), prepare it by soaking in cold water for about 10 mins to both cool it and ensure it doesn’t leak. If you don’t have a cantarito, no worries, just use a tall glass. Next, rim your vessel with tajin. Then, add the tequila, fruit juices and salt into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.Strain into the prepared vessel over fresh ice. Garnish with citrus wedges.

From stirred and bitter to bubbly and bright, these tequila cocktails remind us that agave spirits can do just about anything. So if you’re ready to break up with the Margarita (at least for one night), let these 10 recipes guide your next pour.