Bloody Maria
Roll ∙ 3 min ∙ 9.8% ABV ∙
The Bloody Maria is a Bloody Mary made with reposado tequila: tomato juice, lemon, hot sauce, horseradish, tawny port, and spices, rolled and served over ice.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Rim the glass with salt and pepper
- Roll all ingredients with ice: Tequila reposado 60 mlTomato juice 120 mlLemon juice 15 mlHot pepper sauce 4 dashesWorcestershire sauce 4 dashes (opt.)Horseradish sauce 1/2 bspTawny port 15 mlCelery salt 2 pinchesBlack pepper 2 grinds
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Garnish with a celery stick
Tips
- Roll it gently back and forth between two mixing glasses; that chills and mixes the tomato juice without whipping it frothy and watery.
- Stir the half barspoon of horseradish into the lemon juice first so it breaks up evenly; otherwise it sits in gritty clumps in the drink.
- The 15 ml of tawny port gets rolled in with everything else; it softens the tomato's sharp edge without making the drink sweet.
History
The Bloody Maria is a tequila-based variation on the Bloody Mary, first documented under that name in July 1961 in the trade paper Tap & Tavern — though that earliest recipe actually called for rum, not tequila. The tequila version appears in print by the early 1970s.
It's built on the same seasoned tomato-juice formula as the Bloody Mary, whose own origin is disputed among several claimants, most often credited to bartender Fernand Petiot in 1920s Paris.
FAQ
What is the drink Bloody Maria?
A Bloody Mary made with reposado tequila instead of vodka: a savory, spiced tomato-juice drink, rolled with ice and strained into an ice-filled Collins glass with a salt-and-pepper rim. It comes in at roughly 10% ABV.
What's the difference between a Bloody Mary and a Bloody Maria?
The spirit. A Bloody Mary uses vodka; a Bloody Maria uses reposado tequila, which adds an agave and light oak flavor that vodka does not. This recipe also adds a splash of tawny port, which softens the tomato's sharp edge.
What are the ingredients in a Bloody Maria?
Reposado tequila (60 ml), tomato juice (120 ml), fresh lemon juice (15 ml), and tawny port (15 ml), seasoned with hot pepper sauce, horseradish sauce, celery salt, and black pepper. Worcestershire sauce is optional.
What type of tequila is best for Bloody Maria?
Reposado, which is what this recipe uses. Its short time in barrel gives a light oak and caramel note that sits well with the tomato and spice; a blanco tastes sharper and rawer against the savory mix.
