Tag: orange liqueur

campari

The Allomancer| A Bright & Bitter Orange Cocktail inspired by the Mistborn Series

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The Allomancer cocktail is made with orange liqueur, Campari, cara cara orange juice, and Brighter blood orange apple cider vinegar tonic. The name comes from the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson.

The Allomancer cocktail is a Girl & Tonic original recipe made with blood orange Brighter tonic, Campari, orange liqueur, and cara cara orange. The Mistborn series was the inspiration for this cocktail’s name. Fair warning that today’s post may be a touch nerdy.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I’ll receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

I love books. But I’m a terrible reader. It’s not that I can’t read well, I just read slowwwlyy. I don’t skim– I take in every word and use them to create elaborate scenes in my head… then often have to reread for the plot because I’m so busy thinking about what everything would look like. This is why I both love and loathe fantasy books. Fantasy writers are known for their incredible descriptiveness and their abilities to create different worlds and universes where their stories take place. My imagination runs wild with all this information but that also means it takes me for-ev-er to finish a fantasy book.

My husband is an avid reader and can knock out a phonebook-sized tome in a matter of days. He loves fantasy, too, and has burned through so many series that I can’t keep track. (We have two tall bookcases that are 3 books deep. Yep. Each shelf has 3 rows of books on it. Take that in for a second.) So when he tells me I would love a series, I trust him. But as a mom, online ESL teacher, and cocktail blogger, I don’t have the luxury of time. That’s why I thank & bless the inventors of audiobooks–otherwise, I’d have no chance to escape to a fantasy universe.

The Allomancer cocktail is made with orange liqueur, Campari, cara cara orange juice, and Brighter blood orange apple cider vinegar tonic. The name comes from the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson.

The Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson has been every bit as incredible as my husband had said it would be. We’re currently halfway through the first Mistborn trilogy and I love it. One of the things I love the most about it is that the magic system is so unique. Allomancy is far from the typical magic that a wizard or mage would use.

Instead of casting spells or using wands or staffs to zap stuff, allomancers (people who have the ability to use allomancy) “burn” or draw upon the powers found in metals. Different metals produce different effects: burning tin enhances the senses, burning zinc and brass enable the allomancer to manipulate peoples’ emotions, pewter increases physical strength, and steel and iron give one the ability to push away from and pull themselves towards other metals, essentially enabling these allomancers to zip through the air from building to building. Pretty cool.

There are several more metals but I’ll stop there since I assume most of you reading this out there aren’t fantasy nerds like myself. Not every allomancer can burn every metal. In fact, the majority of allomancers can only burn one. These individuals are called Mistings. A rare few can burn ALL of the metals and these are the Mistborn. There’s a whole thing about the mists, too, but again, I’ll stop myself. I honestly could create a whole cocktail series based on this book. And maybe one day I will. But for now, this Allomancer cocktail will stand alone.

The Allomancer cocktail is made with orange liqueur, Campari, cara cara orange juice, and Brighter blood orange apple cider vinegar tonic. The name comes from the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson.

The Allomancer cocktail is both bright and bitter, a perfect balance between the two. It also has a lower alcohol content because I used two liqueurs and no liquors in this recipe. Campari, an Italian red liqueur, is known for its bitter bite and orange liqueur is known for its ability to sweeten up cocktails. I love bitter orange and thought I’d merge the two and see how it worked. I’m probably a little biased, but I think it worked well.

I’d also been wanting to create a cocktail recipe that could highlight the divine flavors of Brighter‘s sparkling blood orange apple cider vinegar tonic. I’m a huge fan of Brighter and used their lemon-lime flavor in my Mother’s Garden cocktail/mocktail not too long ago. It’s taken me a while to finally decide, but the blood orange flavor is my favorite. I knew I had to do it justice. If blood oranges were in season now, I would’ve used them to accentuate that flavor but since they’re not, I used cara cara orange juice to add some more freshness to the drink.

The Allomancer cocktail is made with orange liqueur, Campari, cara cara orange juice, and Brighter blood orange apple cider vinegar tonic. The name comes from the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson.

If you make the Allomancer cocktail or if you’re a fan of the Mistborn series too, let me know in the comments or in a DM over on my Instagram page. Cocktail lovers and fantasy nerds are both my kinda people.

Ingredients for the Allomancer Cocktail

  • 3/4 oz Campari or other bitter Italian liqueur
  • 3/4 oz orange liqueur
  • 1/2 oz orange juice, freshly squeezed
  • 3 + oz blood orange Brighter tonic (sub blood orange kombucha if you can’t find Brighter near you)

How to Make an Allomancer

Add ice, Campari, orange liqueur, and fresh orange juice to a cocktail shaker. Shake. Strain into a champagne flute. Top off the rest of the glass with the blood orange Brighter tonic. Garnish with an orange peel.

The Allomancer

A bright and bitter orange cocktail with a lower ABV.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ oz Campari
  • ¾ oz orange liqueur
  • ½ oz freshly-squeezed cara cara orange juice
  • 3+ oz blood orange Brighter tonic (or blood orange kombucha)

Instructions
 

  • Add ice, Campari, orange liqueur, and fresh orange juice to a cocktail shaker. Shake.
  • Strain into a champagne flute.
  • Top off the rest of the glass with the blood orange Brighter tonic.
  • Garnish with an orange peel.
Keyword blood orange Brighter tonic, Brighter Tonic, campari, orange, orange juice, orange liqueur

vodka

Autumn in Tuscany | A Fall-Inspired Lemon Drop with Rosemary Sage Simple Syrup

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Autumn in Tuscany is an elegant yet simple cocktail with bright citrus and warm herbs. It's an unexpected fall twist on a classic Lemon Drop cocktail.

Autumn in Tuscany is an elegant yet simple cocktail with bright citrus and warm herbs. It’s an unexpected fall twist on a classic Lemon Drop cocktail.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

It’s officially fall now and even though temperatures are alternating between pleasant and rather warm here in Texas, I’m embracing all the cozy things. Autumn-scented candles, chai tea, toasty blankets, apple cider, alllll the soup recipes. I learned long ago that if I wait to do all the fall things when it actually feels like fall outside, I’ll have about 3.25 days to enjoy it. Ah, the joys of living in a state that has 2 seasons.

Last week, I made an incredible rosemary sage simple syrup to go in the Cowboy Cure-All. I loved how autumnal the syrup tasted and was eager to play around with it. Anytime I make a new simple syrup, I try it out in a few classic cocktails. As I’ve said time and time again, the easiest way to revamp a drink recipe is to switch out the simple syrup flavor.

Autumn in Tuscany is an elegant yet simple cocktail with bright citrus and warm herbs. It's an unexpected fall twist on a classic Lemon Drop cocktail.

I began to think about what would pair well with rosemary and sage. Lemon. Definitely lemon. It would keep the herbs from being too heavy. I ran down the list of classic cocktails that had lemon. Oooh… a Lemon Drop. Now that could be good. I was a little unsure about how the orange liqueur in it would interact with the sage and rosemary but DANG! It’s good!

I made an Autumn in Tuscany for the first time with my friend who is as equally into cocktails as I am. She’s also a fantastic cook so I respect her opinion when it comes to all things edible and drinkable. So when she says a drink is really good, I know it must be.

Autumn in Tuscany is an elegant yet simple cocktail with bright citrus and warm herbs. It's an unexpected fall twist on a classic Lemon Drop cocktail.

She’s also the one who gave me the idea for the name. She informed me that rosemary, sage, and citrus are all hallmark flavors in Tuscan cuisine. I’m not much of a cook but now I want to start researching Tuscan dishes to serve up with this Autumn in Tuscany.

If you make an Autumn in Tuscany, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@girlandtonic_)! I love sharing y’all’s re-shakes of the drinks I post.

Cheers to the thought of spending autumn in Tuscany.

Ingredients for an Autumn in Tuscany

  • 1 1/2 oz vodka
  • 1/2 oz orange liqueur or triple sec
  • 3/4 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 3/4 oz rosemary sage simple syrup (add more or less depending on how sweet you like your drinks)

How to Make an Autumn in Tuscany

Add vodka, orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice, rosemary sage simple syrup, and ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass.

Autumn in Tuscany

A cozy fall twist on a classic Lemon Drop cocktail.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz vodka
  • ½ oz orange liqueur
  • ¾ oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • ¾ oz rosemary sage simple syrup*

Instructions
 

  • Add vodka, orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice, rosemary sage simple syrup, and ice to a cocktail shaker.
  • Shake well, about 20 seconds.
  • Strain into a coupe glass.
  • Garnish with a sage leaf.

Notes

*For the easy rosemary & sage simple syrup recipe, click here.
Keyword lemon, lemon drop, lemon juice, rosemary, rosemary sage simple syrup, sage, simple syrup, vodka
Autumn in Tuscany is an elegant yet simple cocktail with bright citrus and warm herbs. It's an unexpected fall twist on a classic Lemon Drop cocktail.
rum

Mai Tai |A Classic Cocktail Recipe That’s Been Lost in the Mix

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Learn how to make a classic mai tai, the most infamous tiki drink that dates back to the 1940s. Comparable in fame perhaps only to the Piña Colada, the Mai Tai is a drink that everyone's heard of. But the classic Mai Tai recipe is a far cry from the ones frequently mixed up at chain restaurants and bars.

The Mai Tai is a classic, if not THE classic, tiki cocktail. Comparable in fame perhaps only to the Piña Colada, the Mai Tai is a drink that everyone’s heard of. It’s popular for good reason. It’s freaking delicious. But the classic Mai Tai recipe is a far cry from the ones frequently mixed up at chain restaurants and bars.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

Today, most Mai Tais served at chain restaurants are going to be made with artificial syrups & mixes, multiple fruit juices, and are extremely sweet. If that’s your thing, that’s cool. But if you’re been around Girl & Tonic for a minute, you’ve caught on to the fact that I’m not typically a sweet fruity drink kinda girl.

That’s one reason I stayed away from this classic tiki drink. In fact, I’ve never had one until I made one myself. My town has zero tiki bars, much less a craft cocktail bar, so any time I want to have a good cocktail, I’ve either gotta make it myself (not complaining) or drive an hour+ to the next town that’s got a much cooler cuisine and drink scene.

The only thing I’m bummed about is that I waited THIS long to make a Mai Tai. It’s a good thing Texas summers last until October because I need to enjoy the drink on several more occasions.

Learn how to make a classic mai tai, the most infamous tiki drink that dates back to the 1940s. Comparable in fame perhaps only to the Piña Colada, the Mai Tai is a drink that everyone's heard of. But the classic Mai Tai recipe is a far cry from the ones frequently mixed up at chain restaurants and bars.

Similar to drinks like the Daiquiri and Whiskey Sour, the Mai Tai’s reputation has been tarnished by the use of commercial syrups and anything but fresh ingredients. Thankfully, the rise in craft cocktails in recent years has led to a resurrection of the original recipes of classic drinks.

The Mai Tai is a creation claimed by the two original tiki masters, Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic. You can read more about how these two men created the tiki culture in this great article by Thrillist. I think I’m gonna go with Trader Vic though, because he famous said that anyone who doesn’t believe that he created the Mai Tai “is a dirty stinker”. I don’t wanna be a stinker.

Trader Vic, born Victor Bergeron, said he created this drink in the spur of the moment when entertaining some Tahitian friends. Supposedly, one of them took a sip and said “Maita’i roa a’e” which means something along the lines of “the best” and “out of this world”.

The Mai Tai was made to showcase an incredible 17-year-old Wray and Nephew rum. There was no internet to break back then, so I guess you could say that the Mai Tai broke the world. It literally ran out of that rum. Then the recipe started calling for 15-year-old Wray and Nephew rum. And then the world ran dangerously low on that rum, too. People just couldn’t get enough of the Mai Tai. So the recipe was adapted to a mix of Jamaican rum and Martinique rum.

Learn how to make a classic mai tai, the most infamous tiki drink that dates back to the 1940s. Comparable in fame perhaps only to the Piña Colada, the Mai Tai is a drink that everyone's heard of. But the classic Mai Tai recipe is a far cry from the ones frequently mixed up at chain restaurants and bars.

Interestingly enough, the Mai Tai recipe didn’t have any pineapple or orange juice until the mid-1950s when Trader Vic modified the drink to appeal to wider tourist crowds who were frequenting the Hawaiian location of his bar. That recipe was called the Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai but over the decades it began to be used in place of the classic Mai Tai recipe.

The original recipe required garnishing the Mai Tai with half a lime and a sprig of mint to symbolize a palm tree on an island. Trader Vic apparently hated the little umbrella garnishes and wanted them nowhere near his drinks. I like ’em because I like all things miniature, but to honor the man, I restrained myself this time.

Also, I’ve gotta say it– every time I see the word Mai Tai, I think of Matt Birk asking Andy Dalton if he can make him one in this Bad Lip Reading video. Skip to 0:43 if you want to know what I’m talking about.

If you make this classic Mai Tai recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram! And if you’ve had both a modern-day Mai Tai and a classic Mai Tai, let me know in the comments how they compare.

Learn how to make a classic mai tai, the most infamous tiki drink that dates back to the 1940s. Comparable in fame perhaps only to the Piña Colada, the Mai Tai is a drink that everyone's heard of. It's well-known for good reason. It's freaking delicious. But the classic Mai Tai recipe is a far cry from the ones frequently mixed up at chain restaurants and bars.

Ingredients for a Classic Mai Tai Recipe

  • 2 oz good, aged rum
  • 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 ounce orange liqueur
  • 1/4 ounce orgeat (here’s a recipe for homemade orgeat syrup)
  • 1/4 ounce rich demerara simple syrup (with a 2:1 ratio of water to sugar)
  • garnish– sprig of mint
  • garnish– a spent shell of a lime

How to Make a Classic Mai Tai

Add all of the ingredients, except the lime shell and mint sprig) to a cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice (crucial, according to Trader Vic). Shake well. Pour all of the contents into a glass– yep, don’t strain out the shaken ice. Garnish with the lime shell and mint by placing the lime shell cut-side down and arranging the mint to look like a palm tree on an island.

Classic Mai Tai Recipe

This recipe is for a classic Mai Tai, the ones that Trader Vic shook up all those years ago. The traditional garnish is a lime shell and a mint sprig arranged to look like a palm tree on an island.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz aged rum
  • ¾ oz freshly-squeezed lime juice
  • ½ oz orange liqueur
  • ¼ oz orgeat (see note for homemade recipe)
  • ¼ oz Demerara syrup (see note for recipe)
  • 1 spent lime half, to garnish
  • 1 sprig mint, to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Add all of the ingredients, except the lime shell and mint sprig) to a cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice.
  • Shake well.
  • Pour all of the contents into a glass– don't strain out the shaken ice.
  • Add more crushed ice to the glass if necessary.
  • To create the traditional garnish that looks like a palm tree on an island, carefully poke a hole in the top of one of the spent lime shells. Place the shell cut-side down on top of the drink. Stick the lime sprig in the hole. Remove the bottom leaves of the mint to make it look more like a palm tree.

Notes

To make homemade orgeat, you can check out my 2 different recipes here. Or buy some quality orgeat on Amazon.
Here’s a Demerara syrup recipe. Alternatively, rich simple syrup (2:1 sugar to water ratio) can be used in place of Demerara syrup.
Keyword aged rum, dark rum, demerara syrup, lime, lime juice, orange liqueur, orgeat, rum
mezcal

Mezcal in Maui | The Best Recipe for People Who Love Tropical and Smoky Cocktails

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The Mezcal in Maui is a tropical take on a mezcal margarita. If you love tiki drinks and smoky cocktails, this is the recipe for you.

When I first saw the recipe for this Mezcal in Maui cocktail on Instagram, I got EXCITED. Truly, my heart skipped a little. A tropical AND smoky drink? With mezcal??! YES PLZ. But then my heart broke a little when I looked at the recipe and realized I needed lime juice. If you saw my last post, you read about my citrus plight. There was no way I was going to attempt to make the Mezcal in Maui without lime juice. I knew I would need to do this cocktail recipe justice.

And boy, am I glad I waited. This recipe is incredible.

The Mezcal in Maui was created by Casey of City Gal Cocktails. You can find more amazing recipes on her Instagram page. (Seriously, go give her a follow right now and then come back!) As a cocktail blogger, a loooot of my followers on Instagram are fellow cocktail aficionados. The #drinkstagram community is really supportive and inspiring but there are a handful of other cocktail creators that really stand out. Casey’s one of them.

The Mezcal in Maui is a tropical take on a mezcal margarita. If you love tiki drinks and smoky cocktails, this is the recipe for you.

I ended up tweaking Casey’s original recipe just a tad by lowering the amount of pineapple juice and added some Demerara syrup. Demerara syrup is used in some tiki cocktails so it seemed a fitting choice for this tropical spin on a mezcal margarita. Adding the sweet syrup seems to enhance the smokiness and smoothing out the edges of the pineapple juice. If you don’t have access to Demerara sugar or turbinado sugar to make the Demerara syrup, regular simple syrup will work just fine.

If you’re unfamiliar with what mezcal is, I’ll give you as brief of an explanation as possible. Mezcal is a liquor distilled from agave. Sound familiar? Tequila is distilled from agave, too, only for it to be considered “tequila” is must be distilled from blue agave.

Mezcal is also cooked and distilled much differently than tequila, which is why there is such a big taste distinction between the two liquors. Traditionally, tequila is steamed and then distilled in copper pots, which is why it tastes crisp and bright. Mezcal, on the other hand, is usually cooked in lava-rock-lined pits with charcoal and wood before being distilled in clay pots. All those earthy elements lend a smoky flavor that is unlike any other liquor out there.

The Mezcal in Maui is a tropical take on a mezcal margarita. If you love tiki drinks and smoky cocktails, this is the recipe for you.

Smoky cocktails are kind of a big trend right now. Actually smoky anything is popular. I’ve seen recipes for smoked ice cream, smoked queso (WHAAAT!), smoked salt, and the list goes on. There are a lot of ways to achieve a smoke flavor in cocktails, including smoke guns (hi Santa), lapsang souchong tea, and using grilled or charred garnishes.

Another way to achieve a smoky cocktail is to use mezcal. If you want just a touch of smoky essence, use a splash mezcal in one of your favorite tequila or vodka recipes. A Moscow Mule with 1/4 oz of mezcal would be a great way to incorporate a hint of smoke without it being overpowering.

If you’re interested in trying out another smoky cocktail with mezcal, check out the Cero Miedo. I find myself craving its smoky/spicy/sweet flavor regularly on these hot Texas evenings. It’s honestly SO good & is probably the cocktail recipe I’m the proudest of. No horn-tooting happening over here.

The Mezcal in Maui is a tropical take on a mezcal margarita. If you love tiki drinks and smoky cocktails, this is the recipe for you.

Have you ever made a cocktail with mezcal? If so, what’s your favorite recipe? Leave me a comment down below so I can feature more smoky cocktails!

Ingredients for a Mezcal in Maui

  • 1 1/2 oz mezcal
  • 1/2 oz triple sec
  • 2 oz pineapple juice
  • 1 oz lime juice
  • 1/4 oz Demerara syrup or simple syrup
  • mint & lime wheel for garnish

How to Make a Mezcal in Maui

Add the mezcal, triple sec, pineapple juice, lime juice, and Demerara syrup to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice. Garnish with the lime wheel and mint.

Mezcal in Maui

A tropical take on a mezcal margarita. If you love smoky cocktails, you'll love the Mezcal in Maui.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz mezcal
  • ½ oz triple sec/orange liqueur
  • 2 oz pineapple juice
  • ¾ oz lime juice
  • ¼ oz Demerara syrup*
  • lime wheel & mint for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Add the mezcal, triple sec, pineapple juice, lime juice, and Demerara syrup to a shaker filled with ice.
  • Shake well.
  • Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice.
  • Garnish with the lime wheel and mint.

Notes

*You can find the easy recipe for Demerara syrup here OR you can use simple syrup instead..
Keyword demerara syrup, lime, lime juice, mezcal, orange liqueur, pineapple juice

Be sure to tag me on Instagram (@girlandtonic_) if you make this tropical and smoky cocktail.

tequila

Spicy Basil Margarita | A Simple & Spicy Cocktail with Kashmiri Chili Powder

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Spicy Basil Margarita with Kashmiri Chili Powder is the best drink for summer. It's bright, refreshing, with a little kick to it. If you've never had a spicy cocktail before, give it a try.

This Spicy Basil Margarita is easy to make and perfect for summer. It’s finally warming up in central Texas (after an unseasonably cool spring) and that means Margarita season is beginning. Actually, I think it’s always Margarita season in the south. But whether you still have snow on the ground, like my friend Laura at We Galavant The Globe, or whether you’ve been sweating for weeks now, this Spicy Basil Margarita is sure to hit the spot.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

This is going to sound very un-Texan of me, but I have to be in the right mood for a Margarita. I’m always down for one at a Mexican restaurant or when lounging at a pool. But casually sipping on one in the living room? Never really had that craving. Until I was thinking about a way to utilize my new Kashmiri chili powder that my friend brought me back from South Africa. How could I utilize this exotic spice? Then I realized I have yet to post a Margarita recipe on Girl & Tonic so I knew I had to make a spicy Margarita recipe for sure.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product/service or sign up via my affiliate link, I would receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I love and believe in.

If you don’t have Kashmiri chili powder, you can use tajin (yo, Texans- I know you have access to this) or regular chili powder. Kashmiri powder is used more commonly for its color than its heat, but it does have some heat to it and a really beautiful flavor. Its spiciness falls between mild paprika and fiery cayenne. I used 2 pinches in my Spicy Basil Margarita and then dusted some on top. You can also rim your glass with it. I opted for a swatch because it looks artsy. I got the Kashmiri chili powder to stay exactly where I wanted it by using agave syrup and then sprinkling dumping the chili powder over it.

Now, maybe the thought of a spicy cocktail is a new concept to you or maybe you’re already a fan. If you’re the former, I challenge you to try this Spicy Basil Margarita. It’s fresh and bright with a little kick to it. It’s not going to light your mouth on fire, I promise. (Well, not unless you’re a total spice wimp… I once knew a girl whose eyes watered when she put black pepper on her food. How..?) You can always taste as you go and add more to your liking. You might be surprised by how much you can actually handle.

Spicy food releases endorphins and dopamine, your “pleasure” and “reward” sensations, which is why you often can’t stop eating- or drinking- something spicy. Your mouth is feeling the burn, but your brain is translating the consumption of the spicy substance as a rewarding experience, so you are compelled to consume more. Your Brain on Capsaicin is an in-depth science-y article that goes into more detail about the science behind spicy foods. In fact, I was today years old when I found out that we don’t actually have tastebuds associated with “spiciness”. Yeah. You should read that article.

While we’re talking about food science, let’s chat about adding sweeteners to spicy Margaritas. This may sound crazy, but adding agave or simple syrup into a spicy Margarita doesn’t make it sweeter– it actually makes it taste spicier. Yeah. It may sound counter-intuitive, but it’s true and there’s science to prove it. Jess Dang wrote an informative article called A Study of Flavor Profiles. If you don’t have time to read the article, check out this helpful infographic from it:

Spicy and sweet flavors bring balance to one another and create a more dynamic flavor. Then take into account that this Spicy Basil Margarita also has the sour flavor going on with the lime juice. Wow. Talk about flavor dynamics.

Honestly, when I first made this cocktail, I only put a splash of agave in. I didn’t want it to be too sweet, after all. I tasted it. Good. I took some photos. I added more Kashmiri chili powder. Tasted again, and yet it didn’t taste much spicier. Then I remembered reading the aforementioned article a few days ago and doubled the amount of agave. Tasted again. BOOM. Instantly spicier and richer.

If for no other reason, make this cocktail as a science experiment and see if me and Jess Dang are right. Or leave out the chili powder & basil and enjoy a classic Margarita.

Ingredients for a Spicy Basil Margarita

  • 1 1/2 oz tequila (blanco is traditionally used for Margs but you can certainly use reposado)
  • 1 oz triple sec/orange liqueur
  • 3/4 oz fresh lime juice (freshly-squeezed makes all the difference)
  • 1/3 oz agave nectar (or simple syrup)
  • small handful of fresh basil leaves
  • Kashmiri chili powder (or other chili powder)

How To Make a Spicy Basil Margarita

For rimming your glass: Rub a juicy lime wedge around the top rim of a glass.  Fill a place or shallow bowl with either chili powder, salt, or a combination of the two. Dip the rim in the spice. Fill with ice.

Add the tequila and basil leaves to an empty cocktail shaker. Using a muddle or the back of a spoon, muddle the basil leaves until they’re bruised. Then add ice, orange liqueur, lime juice, agave, and 1-2 pinches of chili powder to the cocktail shaker. Shake well. Taste and see if you want more spice. Strain into your Margarita glass (or a lowball glass or a Solo cup or a mug for all I care). I’m partial to my super cute cactus Margarita glasses that I THOUGHT were a vintage at a thrift store but joke’s on me ’cause they’re from Dollar Tree. There are some really similar ones on Amazon, too.