Margarita

The Margarita is the most ordered cocktail in America and also one of the most frequently ruined. Sour mix, bottom-shelf tequila, and too much sweetness account for most of what gets served under that name. The actual drink — quality tequila, real lime, proper orange liqueur, a touch of agave — is something else entirely.

This version uses Fortaleza Blanco, which is a traditionally made tequila from the Jalisco highlands. Stone-ground agave, open fermentation, copper pot stills, the whole process done the old way. It has a clean, bright agave flavor that holds up in a cocktail without disappearing. The celery bitters are a small addition that adds an interesting savory note and brings the other flavors into sharper focus.

function margarita() {
  return {
    name: 'Margarita',
    glass: 'Rocks glass, salted rim optional',
    method: 'Shake',
    ingredients: [
      { ingredient: 'Fortaleza Blanco Tequila', amount: '2 oz' },
      { ingredient: 'Cointreau', amount: '½ oz' },
      { ingredient: 'Fresh lime juice', amount: '¾ oz' },
      { ingredient: 'Agave syrup', amount: '½ oz', note: '1:1 agave nectar diluted with warm water' },
      { ingredient: 'The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters', amount: '3 drops' },
      { ingredient: 'Lime wheel', amount: '1', role: 'garnish' },
    ],
    instructions: [
      'Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.',
      'Shake hard for 10-12 seconds.',
      'Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass.',
      'Garnish with a lime wheel.',
    ],
    notes: [
      'Fresh lime juice only. Bottled lime juice produces a noticeably worse drink.',
      'Cointreau over triple sec. The quality difference is significant and the price difference is smaller than people expect.',
      'Agave syrup keeps the sweetener consistent with the spirit. Simple syrup works but the flavor is flatter.',
      'The celery bitters are optional but worth trying. Start without them, then add and compare.',
    ],
  }
}

Glass: Rocks glass, salted rim optional — Method: Shake

Ingredients

• 2 oz Fortaleza Blanco Tequila
• ¾ oz fresh lime juice
• ½ oz Cointreau
• ½ oz agave syrup (1:1 agave nectar diluted with warm water)
• 3 drops The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters
• Lime wheel (garnish)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
2. Shake hard for 10–12 seconds.
3. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass.
4. Garnish with a lime wheel.

On the salt

The salted rim is a legitimate part of the drink, not a gimmick. Salt suppresses bitterness and amplifies the citrus. The mistake most people make is salting the entire rim, which means every sip has salt whether you want it or not. Salt half the rim and let the person drinking decide where to put their mouth.

Use a coarser salt — kosher or a flaky sea salt — rather than fine table salt. Rub a lime wedge around the outside of the glass, then roll the outside edge (not the inside) in salt.

On the tequila

Fortaleza is not an inexpensive bottle. If you're making a batch of drinks and the tequila cost matters, Espolòn Blanco is a reliable 100% agave alternative at a significantly lower price point. The drink will be good. It will just taste different — brighter and lighter where Fortaleza is rounder and more complex.

What you cannot substitute is the 100% agave designation. Mixto tequilas (which can include up to 49% non-agave sugars) taste noticeably worse in a Margarita. The label will say "100% agave" or "100% blue agave" if it qualifies. If it doesn't say that, it doesn't.