7 Simple Tequila Cocktails You Can Make Right Now
They say that sometimes less is more, and while that certainly isn't true with money or the minutes you spend in the gym, it is absolutely the case with cocktails. To bring beautiful simplicity to your agave game, we brought in John McCarthy -- the spirits writer behind Liquor Cabinet Roulette and Cocktail Director for NYC's Cedar Local -- to create seven original recipes using four classes of Lunazul tequila. All of them are easy to make at home, for parties, intimate gatherings, or that part of a date where you're hoping to break out an impressive nightcap, but don't want to spend 20 minutes in the kitchen preparing it.
Cucumber Lemon
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 ounces Lunazul Blanco
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 5 slices cucumber
DIRECTIONS:
- Muddle cucumber in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and remaining ingredients and shake vigorously.
- Double-strain through a fine mesh strainer into rocks glass with fresh ice.
- Garnish with a cucumber slice.
Blackberry Lime
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 ounces Lunazul Blanco
- 3/4 ounce lime juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 5 blackberries
DIRECTIONS:
- Muddle blackberries in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and remaining ingredients and shake vigorously.
- Double-strain through a fine mesh strainer into rocks glass with fresh ice.
- Garnish with 3 blackberries.
Grapefruit-Campari Collins
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 ounces Lunazul Reposado
- ½ ounce Campari
- ¾ ounce fresh grapefruit juice
- ¼ ounce light agave syrup
- 2 ounces club soda
DIRECTIONS:
- To make agave syrup: Dissolve 1 part light agave in 1 part boiling water.
- Combine all ingredients except club soda in cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake vigorously and strain into Collins glass with fresh ice.
- Add club soda.
- Garnish with grapefruit slice.
Basil-Jalapeño
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 ounces Lunazul Reposado
- 1 ounce lime juice
- ½ ounce light agave syrup
- 1 thin slice jalapeño (for mild) - 3 slices (for spicy)
- 5 basil leaves
DIRECTIONS:
- To make agave syrup: Dissolve 1 part light agave in 1 part boiling water.
- Muddle jalapeño in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and remaining ingredients and shake vigorously.
- Double-strain through a fine mesh strainer into rocks glass with fresh ice.
- Garnish with jalapeño slices and a basil sprig.
Cynar Manhattan
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 ounces Lunazul Añejo
- 3/4 ounce Cynar
- 1/4 ounce light agave syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
DIRECTIONS:
- To make agave syrup: Dissolve 1 part light agave in 1 part boiling water.
- Combine all ingredients in mixing glass with ice.
- Stir until well-chilled.
- Strain into rocks glass with ice.
- Garnish with an expressed grapefruit peel.
Añejo Old Fashioned
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 ounces Lunazul Añejo
- 1/4 ounce maple syrup
- 1 dash orange bitters
- 1 dash chocolate bitters
DIRECTIONS:
- Combine all ingredients in mixing glass with ice.
- Stir until well-chilled.
- Strain into rocks glass with ice.
- Garnish with an expressed orange peel.
Peach & Primero
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 ounces Lunazul Primero
- 1/4 ounce lemon juice
- 1/4 ounce honey syrup
- ½ small peach
DIRECTIONS:
- To make honey syrup: Dissolve 1 part honey in 1 part boiling water.
- Muddle peach in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and remaining ingredients and shake vigorously.
- Strain into rocks glass allowing peach pulp to pass through over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a peach slice.