Tommy’s Margarita
A citrus and sour tequila cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 14.3% ABV ∙
Tommy’s Margarita is a tequila sour of tequila blanco, fresh lime, and agave syrup: a Margarita without orange liqueur, from a San Francisco restaurant.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake: Tequila blanco 60 mlLime juice 30 mlAgave syrup 30 ml
- Strain into the chilled rocks glass filled with ice
- Garnish with a lime wheel
Tips
- Give it a hard 10-12 seconds so all 30 ml of agave syrup mixes evenly with the lime and tequila.
History
Tommy’s Margarita was conceived around 1990 by Julio Bermejo at Tommy's Mexican Restaurant, his family's San Francisco establishment. He replaced the orange liqueur of the classic Margarita with agave nectar to spotlight the flavor of 100% agave tequila. Bermejo, the restaurant's beverage manager and a vocal advocate for pure agave spirits, had recently been introduced to agave nectar and started using it in the margaritas he served there. The drink takes its name from the restaurant itself. It later gained international recognition, entering the IBA's official cocktail list in its New Era category, and is often cited as the first venue-specific cocktail to make the list.
FAQ
What is in a Tommy's Margarita?
Tequila blanco, fresh lime juice, and agave syrup. There is no orange liqueur, which is the main thing that sets it apart from a standard Margarita.
What's the difference between a Margarita and a Tommy's Margarita?
Tommy’s Margarita drops the orange liqueur and sweetens with agave syrup instead; a Margarita is tequila, orange liqueur, and lime. Without the orange liqueur, the tequila comes through more.
How do you make a Tommy's Margarita?
Shake 60 ml tequila blanco, 30 ml fresh lime juice, and 30 ml agave syrup hard with ice. Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice and garnish with a lime wheel.
What's the secret to Tommy's Margarita's taste?
Equal parts lime juice and agave syrup against a double measure of tequila blanco. With no orange liqueur in the mix, the tequila carries the flavor, so its quality shows more than in a standard Margarita.
