July 24 is National Tequila Day and this year Grand Marnier teamed up with Toronto mixologist Robin Goodfellow of Bar Raval and local bartenders from across Canada, to create some new tequila cocktails for your National Tequila Day celebrations.
The Espolon tequila used in these recipes is produced using 100 percent blue Weber agave grown in the “Golden Triangle” in Jalisco’s Los Altos Highlands and distilled in its Casa San Nicolas Distillery . The growing conditions in this high altitude growing region — 2,000 meters above sea level — are difficult, stressing the agave plants which, according to the company website, "produces agave with higher sugar content and more intense flavor than plants grown in other regions."
To further concentrate the sugar, "Espolòn cuts the hearts of the agave plants into four pieces rather than two (the industry average)" and cooks the agave for 22 hours (compared to the 18-hour standard), producing a rounder, sweeter end product.
Herewith, some creative tequila cocktails, beyond the usual margarita.
COCKTAIL RECIPES:
Classic Grand Margarita (1 Serving)
Tasting notes: Tart, agave, orange, light
Description: This crowd-pleasing cocktail needs no introduction and can be served straight up or on the rocks.
Ingredients:
30ml Grand Marnier
45ml Espolon Blanco tequila
23ml fresh lime juice
5ml agave syrup
What to do:
Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass with a lime wedge and Maldon Salt Rim.
Bodega Margarita (1 Serving)
Tasting notes: Tart, herbal, orange, light
Description:
A classic Margarita at heart with a naturopathic element added from the marshmallow root. A herbal and immune-boosting Margarita.
Ingredients:
30ml Grand Marnier
30ml Espolon Blanco tequila
15ml marshmallow root tincture,
23ml fresh lime juice,
15ml rich syrup
What to do:
Mix, then garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel and salt rim.
Platinum Margarita (Blended – 4 Servings)
Tasting notes: Tart, agave, floral, rich
Description: Bringing back blended drinks, this easy-to-make Margarita variation will impress friends and family when you serve up a drink that looks and tastes like a cocktail-bar-quality offering. Who wouldn’t want a frothy purple Margarita?
Ingredients:
90ml Grand Marnier
240ml Malva Flower Tequila
120ml fresh lime juice
40g sugar
60ml liquid egg white
12 ice cubes
·
What to do:
Mix, then garnish with Malva petals and pink salt rim.
Jill Sadler's Le Grand Caliente
A Spicy Pineapple Margarita
1oz Grand Marnier
1oz Espolòn Blanco
3oz Pineapple juice
1/2 Jalapeño, sliced
1 oz Lime juice
1/2 tbsp Coarse Salt
1/4 tbsp Ancho chili powder
Mix salt and Ancho chili powder together and put mixture on a small side plate. Wet the side of a rocks glass with lime and rim with Ancho salt rim.
Place sliced Jalapeño in a shaker and muddle gently. Add all remaining ingredients except garnish to the shaker. Add ice and shake. Strain into prepared rocks glass. Top with ice. Garnish with a fresh or dehydrated Jalepeño slice.