Mexican Martini
A sour and citrus tequila cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 18.1% ABV ∙
The Mexican Martini is an Austin take on the Margarita: tequila añejo, triple sec, lime, and agave syrup, shaken, served up, and garnished with olives.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Tequila añejo 45 mlLime juice 20 mlTriple sec 10 mlAgave syrup 10 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with jalapeño stuffed olives on a skewer
Tips
- Shake hard and fine-strain, since the drink is served without ice and shards would show.
History
The Mexican Martini is an Austin, Texas invention traced to the Cedar Door bar, where it has been a menu staple since the early 1980s. According to the bar's account, a Cedar Door bartender named Ellen encountered an olive brine-enhanced Margarita while traveling in Matamoros, Mexico. She brought the idea back to founders Gus and Diane Koerner, who adapted their Margarita into a shaken, up-served drink garnished with pimiento-stuffed olives. Other Austin bars, including Trudy's, have also laid claim to the drink, and its exact origin remains debated locally, though the Cedar Door is most widely credited as the source. The name reflects its construction: a Margarita built and served "up" in a Martini glass rather than over ice or blended.
The Margarita, a tequila, orange liqueur, and lime cocktail, has its own disputed origin among several rival Mexican and American claimants dating from the 1930s through the 1940s. The Mexican Martini's defining departure is its up-serve and olive garnish; classic Mexican Martinis also add olive brine for a savory edge. Top-shelf versions made with tequila añejo and agave syrup skip the brine and use jalapeño-stuffed olives instead.
FAQ
What is a Mexican Martini made of?
Tequila añejo (45 ml), fresh lime juice (20 ml), triple sec (10 ml), and agave syrup (10 ml), shaken with ice. The garnish is jalapeño-stuffed olives on a skewer rather than a citrus twist or salt rim.
What is the difference between a Mexican Martini and a Margarita?
How it is served and garnished. A Mexican Martini is shaken and strained into a martini glass with a savory olive garnish. A Margarita is traditionally served on the rocks or up, often with a salt rim. This recipe also uses tequila añejo and agave syrup, which make it softer and oakier.
What's the difference between a Martini and a Mexican Martini?
A classic Martini is gin or vodka with dry vermouth, garnished with an olive or lemon twist, while a Mexican Martini shares only the glass and the olive garnish. In composition it is closer to a Margarita.
What tequila is best for a Mexican Martini?
Tequila añejo, which this recipe uses: barrel aging gives it a softer, slightly oaky character that stands up to the lime. Blanco works too, but you lose that smoother, aged finish.
