Margarita lovers who fancy themselves connoisseurs of the classic cocktail might be ready for a tasty upgrade. Whereas the classic margarita is made with young silver or blanco tequila and Triple Sec orange liqueur, for the Cadillac of margaritas, only premium spirits will do!
What Is a Cadillac Margarita?
The spirits in a Cadillac margarita are all upgraded. You’ll need reposado tequila, which is aged in oak whiskey barrels anywhere from two to 12 months. The orange liqueur is swapped out, too, for Grand Marnier, a decadent cognac flavored with bitter orange. The result is a margarita with a deep, beautiful flavor with hints of caramel and vanilla. It’s like no margarita you’ve had before.
Find more ways to upgrade a traditional margarita.
The Best Cadillac Margarita Recipe
This recipe makes four drinks.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup premium aged reposado tequila
- 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
- Salt
- 4 lime wedges
- Ice cubes
Editor’s Tip: When choosing the best tequila for this cocktail, look for aged reposado tequila. We recommend Espolón, which is aged in new oak barrels, or long-aged Clase Azul.
Directions
Step 1: Blend the ingredients
Add the tequila, Grand Marnier, lime and lemon juices and sugar to a cocktail shaker. Shake the drink vigorously to blend the ingredients.
Step 2: Rim each glass with salt
Pour salt in a shallow dish. Use the lime wedges to moisten the edges of four margarita glasses, then dip the rims in the salt.
Step 3: Serve over ice
Add crushed ice to each glass, then pour in the shaken margarita mixture. Serve the drinks immediately.
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Tips and Tricks for Making a Cadillac Margarita
Use a cocktail shaker
This cocktail can be stirred in a pitcher, but take a hint from mixologists and use your cocktail shaker if you have one. Only cocktails made purely of spirits—like Manhattans and martinis—are meant to be stirred to preserve the clarity of the alcohols. Cocktails made with fruit juices, egg whites or cream should be shaken to thoroughly blend and give the drinks a little froth.
Choose a glass with a wide rim
If you don’t have the restaurant-style tall-stemmed margarita glasses, use another wide-rimmed glass instead. Rocks glasses and short tumblers work well as they have rims wide enough for salting.
Serve on the rocks
With traditional margaritas you have the option to enjoy them frozen; however, we recommend sticking with rocks for a Cadillac margarita. The ice in frozen margaritas melts more quickly, watering down your drink. The spirits here are quality and meant to be savored. Preserve the beautiful flavor of this cocktail by using cubed ice.
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