Tequila puts a new spin on those classic cocktails

Paloma

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut. To drink the same thing over and over. We’ve all been there. But just because Cinco de Mayo is only a few days out, and you’re in a tequila sort of mindset, you don’t have to default to the margarita.

“Tequila is really versatile,” says Clint Rogers, beverage consultant for the Presidio in Chicago, noting that there are plenty of ways to match the flavors in each tequila category: blanco, joven, reposado, anejo and extra anejo. For instance, blanco goes well with bright citrus or vegetable flavors, reposado can be used in a similar manner to bourbon and rye, and anejo can be used like a fruit brandy.

Rogers likes to use blanco tequila in the traditional paloma, the refreshing, summery cocktail that’s more popular than the margarita in Mexico. It’s a simple drink made from grapefruit soda (or grapefruit juice), lime juice and tequila (and club soda, if you use grapefruit juice).

You can also use tequila to put a new spin on a classic like the Old Tom gin-based cocktail the Martinez or an Old-Fashioned, says John Stanton, head bartender of Sable Kitchen & Bar in Chicago.

But you have to be careful when you do so because even although tequila is a flavorful spirit, it’s typically bottled at a lower alcohol by volume than other spirits, which means it can lost in the background.

“It certainly is a spirit that needs not be disguised, at least when it’s made well,” he says. “If you are going to use it in a cocktail, you should be careful not to overwhelm its natural flavor.”

That’s why tequila cocktails tend to be what Rogers calls “spirit forward.” That is, they tend to put the spirit front and center, which can make them seem a bit boozy, Rogers adds.

“You have to be mindful of that,” he says. “You don’t want the tequila to get lost.” Makes: 1 drink Kosher salt, optional Grapefruit slice, optional ounces blanco tequila ounce lime juice Grapefruit soda If you want to have a salted rim, rub the rim of a highball glass with the grapefruit slice, then dip the rim in a plate covered in salt. Combine the tequila and lime juice in the glass, add ice, then top with soda. Garnish with the grapefruit slice.