Fun Tequila Cocktails
It's summer, and that means, well, many things: on the downside, itchy mosquito bites, a kitchen that's too hot for you to use the oven, and sweat stains in unfortunate and surprising locations. On the upside, however? It's the true height of tequila season. If you're a fan of tequila drinks, these are the months you've been waiting all year for: ideal weather for sipping a refreshing, tequila-based cocktail.
In college, it was cool to just take a tequila shot (or four), but now that you're old enough to have graduated from bottom-shelf swill to Patron and high-quality mescal, you should be comfortable mixing up a truly elegant, delicious tequila drink.
When it comes to tequila cocktails, let's be honest: the tequila sunrise is played out. Graduate from the basics with a simple but chic new tequila cocktail for summer: the "Este Lado," which was created by mixologists Ben Scorah and Marshall Altier, and features Don Julio tequila. The flavor profile is clean and sophisticated: combining the fresh, crisp flavor of cucumber flavor with cooling mint and a touch of lime, this blend is the perfect summer sip.
Click here for the Este Lado recipe.
If you're looking for more variety, check out our 8 Tequila Cocktail Recipes, which vary from classic to the more unusual. While it may no longer be the Cinco de Mayo, delicious tequila drinks that were suitable for the 5th of May only get more inviting as the days grow hotter.
I recently built some Spicy Tequila Drinks as Signature Cocktails, which include two killer, thoroughly road-tested recipes for mixing Avión tequila into some spicy specialty flavors.
If you're less interested in making your own drinks than sipping high-quality mescal, you may be interested in the Top Tequila Bars in the U.S.
Jess Novak is the Drink Editor of The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @jesstothenovak